The Measure of a Man
by May it be
Summary: Formerly Blood of the Hom-dai. This story is being rewriten. Chapter one is posted in its newest form. The others will follow soon.
1. Messages in the Sand

**"The Measure of a Man" **

_Formerly - "Blood of the Hom dai"-_

_By May It Be_

**Author note: **_PLEASE READ_ : Due to a recent renewal of my love of this fandom, and in many thanks to the inspiration of an old friends' fabulous written works, I have, after a long absence from writing, as well as this story, decided to return and once again take up this piece of fiction. I am currently in the process of completing this tale as well as revamping the entire story; adding and subtracting bits to enhance the plot and character development. It has been many years over due. And to any fan's that may have been waiting for the next installment, I must apologies. I can only hope that the improvements I make to this story will renew your interest in it, and make the wait worth while. You may notice many names and characters have changed due to the revision of this work. When I started this story back in 2002 it was rushed and spur of the moment, without much practical research. As a result, many of the names were lacking or outlandishly out of place. So, after much deliberation I have decided to alter names to more accurately coincide with the time and setting. I will add notes at the end of each chapter to clear up any confusion in the transition to help make it more understandable.

Also, please be warned. This story is laden with gore and violence. (Even more so then it initially contained) This chapter in particular is a little graphic. If you are sensitive to blood and gore, read with caution.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own 'The Mummy', 'The Mummy Returns' or any of the characters there in. I am making no money off of this. This story is meant for sick, twisted, entertainment purposes only. However, the ideas and plot behind it are solely mine. Do not take them please.

* * *

_**Chapter One : **_**"Messages in the Sand"**

O'Connell walked silently through the dark tunnels of a nameless Egyptian ruin; the many figures upon the walls a mere blur as he passed.

For the life of him he could not place a name to the building in which he now stood, and yet something told him he had indeed been here before. The wall's encircling his tall figure were bright and enigmatic, restored to the rightful golden glory of the ancient days; glowing with riches, power, and blood. A chilled wind disturbed the sandy locks that rested upon his forehead drying the peppers of sweat beaded atop his skin, causing his flesh to tingle with sensation and perhaps apprehension.

Something about this particular temple seemed so.. _so_…_So what?_ He couldn't quite place the feeling that wafted from all about him but it was cold, promising death and perhaps worse to any who dare enter.

His hand itched for a pistol he had been horrified to discover was no where to be found; the familiar weight of steel and mechanisms dourly missed as a feeling of dread seized about his throat. Rounding another shadowed corner, the faint sounds of suffering reached his ears. Screams and moans in a language he could not begin to comprehend set chills up his spine, the horror deepened by the hollow clinking of chain upon stone. The floor seemed to fall from his feet and the feeling of trepidation fell like a rock into the pit of his belly. _There it was,_ he realized with sudden clarity. _That _was the sign. His signal to leave well enough alone and get the hell out of there. His brain told him to stop. To go back. And yet despite his misgivings, his feet would not obey. It felt as if some force outside of himself was drawing him in; luring him against his will to this place of pain and malevolence.

Rick swallowed as he got ever closer and the sounds of pleading joined the cacophony.

He didn't know why he was here, nor did he know why he was unarmed, but he felt, with alarming lucidity, the sudden desperate desire to know _what_ was in there. _Those voices_. They sounded so familiar to him, and if they were suffering…

The overwhelming hunger to stop their agony washed over his senses without warming, making him dizzy with the sheer force of the emotion; nearly knocking him from his feet in confusion. Desires and emotions warred inside him, so strong he felt as if he were being crushed under their weight. Certainly these were not his own. So confusing and erratic. He did not know from where they sprang, but he strongly craved for them to stop.

O'Connell reached the room of suffering quicker than he had anticipated and came to an immediate halt, flattening himself against the wall before he could be spotted by anyone inside. Cautiously, heart pounding in his chest as if any moment it would rip free, he steeled his nerve and peered around the edge of the entryway; catching his breath at what he saw.

It was a large circular room, aglow with a flood of torchlight. In the very center stood a dark haired man, proud and vicious in appearance; an open silver book, bearing a startling resemblance to the Book of the Dead, laid before him. His voice was raised, roaring and lost in chant. It was a slow rhythm flowing to the beating flames of the lamps. Directly in front of the man was a heavy stone altar, tall and long, spacious enough for a person to lie upon and have plenty of room. At each end a small carved table rested, both decorated with a plethora of golden tools baring teeth and blades that looked like they could carve through a mans very bones.

Rick suppressed an involuntary shiver at the pondering of the intent of those tools.

Behind the chanting man, who was quite obviously the leader, stood two tall statues of gold, valiant and haughty, each wore the visage of a man, half wrapped as a mummy bearing the atef-crown with quiet dignity. Both had the outside arm crossed over their chest, the other down at its side. Hanging between the two huge golden sentries was the lean and slack form of a tall Egyptian, his head cast down and hunched in unconsciousness. O'Connell could not clearly see the poor man from his current position and what he saw seemed unfamiliar, yet, for some reason he could not immediately draw his attention away.

Circling the room in a long line of jade and sepia, an army of men waited, transfixed and dutiful. Their exposed flesh was dusted with gold, voices chanting calmly with their leaders. There had to be at least fifty of them, Rick counted with mounting concern, and each was heavily armed. Drawing his gaze from the fierce looking army, it was only then he realized from whence the sounds of suffering were reverberating. In front of each warrior he noted a kneeling dark clad man, battered and bleeding, praying in a language Rick did not understand, and yet, somehow _knew_ was Ancient Egyptian.

Rick swallowed, hard, his eyes again roaming swiftly over the kneeling men not quite believing what he was seeing. He knew who they were. The distinct clothing and tattoos gave them away immediately.

They were Med-jai.

The Americans heart nearly stopped as he noticed this, searching their faces frantically for one he recognized. There were many actually, to his surprise and dismay, but not the one in particular his mind was screaming for. Then his eyes flicked back to the man hanging from the statues and his breath hitched in his throat. It took all his will power to remain where he was, when his body so desired to lurch forward and run into the room.

_It couldn't be!_

Unaware of their spectators' turmoil, the man chanting suddenly ceased and set the book aside. Bronzed fingers curled about the handle of a sharp glinting dagger, a pleased expression sliding across the mans features as he moved to the hanging Med-jai and brandished the knife. With slow, deliberate pressure he sheathed the blade tip in the Egyptians flesh between the points of his collarbone and pulled down hard enough for blood to well and seep uninhibited down his chest. The Med-jai's head suddenly snapped up, pained and startled as he was forced so rudely into consciousness; blinking the clouds and haze from his eyes in confusion. He looked hard upon the man who began to slowly carve ancient hieroglyphs into his chest with unearthly detachment, unsettled by his eerily mad expression.

Rick, seeming no longer in control of his facilities, did take a step forward then, and another as he recognized the prisoner; soon running full speed into the room; an alien war cry upon his lips. The captive warrior's eyes shot up and locked with the Americans; an unreadable expression marring their pitch depths. "Ardeth!" Rick called, unaware of the futility of his situation, and dove bodily into the nearest jade robed warrior; snapping the soldiers neck without a thought. As if spurred by the sudden one man uprising, the Med-jai leader finally became coherent enough of his surroundings and predicament to fight back; lashing out with all the strength he could muster and kicked the man in front of him away with a satisfying crack. Swooning for a moment racked with dizziness, his hands fisted above his head before curling about the ropes capturing his wrists; twisting and straining against them hard enough to tear skin.

Spinning Rick slammed his fist into an approaching warriors jaw, dislocating the joint under the sheer force of the impact before ramming his knee into the mans gut. The soldier fell to the sand with a dull thump and did not rise. Kicking out, a snarl upon his lips, the blond swept another's legs from under him, landing a blow to his groin with a sickening crunch before crushing his throat beneath his boot. He heard the next attack moments before a blade swooped passed him, barely managing to side step what could have been a deadly blow. Using the warriors momentum against him, Rick grabbed the hilt with his left hand and twisted the mans' arm; encircling his own waist in a bizarre hug as the other stumbled into his back, surprised. Wrenching in the startled man's grasp he slammed his elbow into his face, before the scimitar turned and slid quite effortless into the Arab's stomach.

He felt no sorrow as another warrior fell dead.

Whirling, he was caught off guard as a large blunt object collided with his temple and light exploded behind his eyes. O'Connell stumbled with a grunt, landing on all fours in the dust; shaking his head to clear the sudden display of fireworks that danced across his vision. The light had yet to dim when four of the jade clad guards swooped in and ambushed him, hailing kicks and clubs upon his debilitated form. Curling in in shock at the sudden assault he had little time to protect himself before pain burst through his body and his breath fled his lungs. Somewhere deep in the back of his subconscious he was certain he felt a rib or two snap, and a thigh bone crack in two.

A disembodied voice barked orders and with little resistance Rick was quickly bound and drug backwards into the circle of captives. The surrounding kneeling Med-jai looked at the American with almost pleading eyes; begging him to help their leader. But Rick had little left in him at that point to offer.

Unwilling to give in without a fight despite his companions capture, Ardeth kicked wildly again, sending a man flying back into the stone altar a sharp crack testament to a snapped spine as he slumped lifeless. The Chieftain had finally managed to free one bloodied and thrashed wrist when another soldier charged him, landing a blow to his stomach. Ardeth did not give himself time to react and simply attacked. Moving with speed he did not think he possessed he swept the man's legs from beneath him, while simultaneously slammed his now unrestrained elbow into his throat choking the warrior half to death.

With the American now subjugated all free attention returned to the struggling Med-jai. Two of the tan and green warriors rushed to Ardeth and tackled his legs, clamoring to pull them taut, but he would not allow them to subdue him so easily. Scuffing his heel along the ground he kicked a wave of sand into one mans eyes before crushing his nose with a swift blow. Startled by his companions outcry the remaining soldier reacted in fear and suddenly jerked Ardeth's captive leg twisting it sharp enough to snap it from the socket. Bay bit back a cry as agony exploded up his body and the now dislocated leg crumpled, unable to support him; his already mangled wrist taking the bulk of his weight. His free hand shook with exertion as it fisted about the rope, taut and complaining, in an effort to relieve the strain upon his wrist; swinging his uninjured foot, albeit with reduced clarity, at the man whom had wrenched his form. The warrior simply rolled and ducked beneath the blow with little effort before quickly rising to his knee. Struggling to once again gain his footing and relieve the tearing grip upon his wrist, Ardeth warred to quell the misery that laced through his body. The warrior, seeing his opening, yanked hard on the now useless limb, dirty nails digging into smooth skin; satisfied as another violent crack rose from above his head. The Med-jai had almost managed to stand a new when a sudden burst of pain, stronger then the first thundered through his nerves and all hope of standing again crumbled as he fell; hanging once more by a now snapped wrist.

Drunk with pain, his head fell forward, a sudden weakness overtaking his body as he panted for breath.

The dark haired leader, momentarily forgotten, snarled wickedly as he all but appeared before the dangerously hanging Med-jai; a near insane glint to his eyes. Reaching down without warning, he slammed a golden blade into the joint of thigh and pelvis and gave a mighty wrench, effectively shattering the cavity. This time Ardeth could not withhold the agonized scream that broke from his lungs. Pain like he had never felt before over took his senses, radiating with such intensity he felt violently ill, but had not the strength to vomit. O'Connell, having regained a minute amount of mental power, physically recoiled at the sudden out cry, his anguish at his close companions' misery echoed by the helpless Med-jai. Heads bowed, foreheads to the sand, one by one the black robed warriors had crumbled; prayers of mercy weaving through the air.

A claustrophobic heaviness settled into the very atmosphere. Dark and suffocating. And Rick found it hard to find his next breath. He simply couldn't believe what was happening…

Ardeth's body again became limp his legs no longer able to move let alone support his lithe form. His faded awareness, submerged in a halo of agony, teetered on the very brink of oblivion. He knew, somewhere in the cloying cobwebs of suffering that had become his once keen and nimble mind, that if he were to let his eyes slip as they had want to do and close to the outside world, willing to tumble into the darkness it would not simply be the blessed arms of unconsciousness that greeted him, but the cold hands of death.

The leader nodded at his handiwork and quickly ripped the blade free; eyes soulless and empty, drinking in every minuscule notation of pain like a starving man, feeding off his prisoner's anguish. With the glint of the golden weapon removed from the temporary sheath of Ardeth's body, Rick could clearly see the shiver's of alabaster bone protruding from the ripped and raw flesh. A splinter of white landed upon the evil mans sleeve and without a thought a hand rose brushing it away callously as if it were simply mere particles of dust and not a piece of another mans bone. The sudden urge to vomit presented itself in a rather alarming way. A bout of dry heaving suddenly shot up Rick's esophagus before he realized what had happened, doubling his broad frame with the effort to expel imaginary bile. At the strange noises that escaped O'Connell, hunched and trying to contain a shiver, the warrior behind him snorted, landing a quick kick to the American's back with a barked command.

Rick did not understand what he said, but the message was hard to miss.

In the moment it took him to subdue the urge to heave, the jade clad men had cut loose the Med-jai chieftain, laughing as he crumpled to the sand helpless and fading. When next the American looked up his companion had been moved without further injury to the stone altar laid as a sacrifice before some terrible heathen god; the glyphs etched across his chest, complete, blazing a pattern of red on gold. O'Connell watched painfully, hitching, wet pants for breath forcing their way passed the gag in his mouth. His eyes became blurred and unfocused.

Ardeth's head rolled weakly to the side and his dark gaze locked once again with Rick's. A large crimson pool began to form steadily under his back as the color seemed to drain from his usually mischievous and enigmatic eyes; eyes that all too clearly displayed his sole desire to give in to the closing grip of death. _Forgive me, my friend… May Allah have mercy and allow me to die with honor._

In that terrible instant, O'Connell felt a sudden swell of terror like never before.

_No! Fight Ardeth! Damn it fight!!! You can't give in! You CAN'T die!_

A ghost of a smile spread half heartedly across the Med-jai's lips at the stubborn inaudible command, recognizing the mans ironclad will and attempted to once more draw upon his own severely dwindling reserves. For a moment neither moved, too caught in the quiet exchange to notice the world around them had not stopped but carried on defiantly_. Allah forgive me my weakness..._ A sigh escaped Ardeth's cracked lips then and eyelids he could no longer sustain closed. All the tension in his aching body seemed to sift away like so many grains of sand and for one horrifying moment, Rick feared his friend had given in and passed on. The dread seemed to tighten as a noose about his neck and he could no longer breathe.

When next the Med-jai's eyes opened they shone with a renewed defiance and determination almost startling in its intensity.

O'Connell could not hide his relief, or the swell of elation he felt at his friends renewed sense of self preservation.

Unaware and uncaring of what had transpired between the two warriors, the faceless leader of the Arab army began to once again chant; the worlds lyrical and ancient. He lifted the bloodied blade high above his head, unmoved as the vibrant liquid seeped down his hand in a wave of red, shifting to stand behind the mighty altar. A fierce wind began to kick about the room and smoke clouded the ceiling. His voice rose steadily, booming and indifferent as he neared the end of the spell. Two men, both surprisingly young in age, moved forward then and each took up a different tool from one of the ornate tables.

The first of the guards moved towards the Med-jai's head obstructing O'Connell's view and moved a spoon-like-blade towards Ardeth's face bringing it dangerously close. Ardeth looked steadily upon his enemy, his features calm but strong. The man paused, somewhat swayed by their captives determination, and glanced wearily back at his leader, who nodded silently. In the poor mans moment of hesitation Ardeth reacted. Shooting forward, his only mobile limb darted from the stone and plucked the blade from the startled mans grasp, spun it with nimble fingers and jammed it into his throat. "Forgive me." He breathed as the youth, pain stricken and shocked, fell to the sand below dead before he hit the ground. With one last burst of strength the Med-jai let loose the weapon, tossing it like at dagger toward the leader of his enemy, smirking in satisfaction as it sliced into the beings shoulder. Rick could not contain his cry of joy at the sight of the evil man's blood. Retribution was hell, and O'Connell hoped the man burned in it.

The man roared with anger. The sound was deep, bellowed from the very pit of his soul, ugly and inhuman.

Several hands grasped defiantly upon the Med-jai's form, forcing him back to the stone below. All jumped at the sudden enraged scream eyes wide as their master appeared before them and without out warning struck. The blade he had been holding, already stained with the Egyptian's blood, slammed down through flesh and into the rock beneath cleaving bone and sinew as it passed. Ardeth recoiled and arched from the altar in agony as the dagger sliced through his previously unbroken wrist; effectively pinning his arm down and rendering him at last immobile. The man sneered as the wounded form became still; a feral glint to his eyes and spat upon the stone by the Med-Jai's head. Stepping back he motioned another man forward, leaving the dagger firmly embedded through Ardeth's limb as he painfully wrenched the spoon blade from his own body. "Hurry. Before he dies." The nameless leader hissed in Ancient Egyptian.

This time, as a young man neared, brandishing another hollowed blade, the Med-jai chieftain did not move.

Rick jumped as a fierce scream, this one of immense pain, ripped through the room and Ardeth's body trembled as the blade dug into his flesh. Slowly and deliberately the youth worked, never once taking his attention from their captives face anticipating an attack that never came. To O'Connell, after what seemed like forever, the man finally moved away and dutifully discarded the spoon-like-blades contents into a flaming torch pot that burned black with a quiet hiss.

By now Ardeth's body was shaking so badly from shock and blood loss he could make no other motion but. The Med-jai surrounding the room fell forward onto their hands, praying, crying for Allah to take mercy on their Leader. But Allah it seemed, would not listen. It took Rick a moment to realize just what had been done to his dying friend. And when clarity finally struck his brain he nearly vomited into the gag. Where once the proud and noble mans warm and fierce chocolate orbs twinkled with contained mirth and strength, now two empty holes remained; bloody and shaved near to the bone.

_Oh god…_

The other man moved forward now, holding in his slightly shivering hand a serrated knife and again, blessedly this time, blocked Rick's view.

This time no sound was heard from the Med-jai, too far gone and lost in pain and the early throws of death to notice the blade that severed his tongue in one swift effective swipe. The warrior threw the severed appendage into the flaming pot and flanked back to his post by the statue; watching his leader dutifully. Hands grasped at the subjugated warriors, pulling them from their prayers and yanked them to their knees; a serrated blade placed tight beneath each mans chin. Rick was only dully aware of the cold steel forcibly biting into his own throat, too lost in the grip of horror and grief to pay it much heed.

The nameless leader of the earth toned army moved forward, an arrogant and terrible mask upon his features as he looked down upon Ardeth Bay's face, smirking when the man began to choke upon his own blood. He retrieved a long and vicious looking weapon from the table to his left, and raised it above his head, speaking the last of the ancient spell with terrifying calm. In one swift movement, the man swung the blade down embedding it deep within the Med-jai's heart. Ardeth's back arched reflexively, gasping for air that would never come and then, terrifyingly, fell limp.

Void of all life.

A fierce cry of victory echoed through the room, beating off the walls and pounding down upon the American like a wall of water crushing him under its weight.

Blood bathed the sand in a sparkling wash of gore and death as one by one the captured Med-jai too fell to the afterlife; throats slit and dead upon the ground. O'Connell surged forward in vicious disbelief, unwittingly forcing himself upon the blade at his own throat, slicing his neck all but it in two. The hand curled in his hair released and he slumped unmoving to the ground.

His friend was dead. _Ardeth Bay_ was dead!

_No.. _

_This can't be happening.._

As the edges of his vision faded and the cold breath of death bore down upon his neck, Rick's eyes raised, valiantly fighting to see his friends form one last time. And immediately, wished he hadn't. As he breathed his last, he watched in horror as the wicked leader of his enemy, with one powerful stroke, chopped through Ardeth's unmoving neck, rending his head from his shoulders like a trophy of his final humiliation.

_N… no…_

Then the world went black.

* * *

Rick O'Connell shot up in bed wide eyed and horrified, strangling a choked off yell of denial as he turned with almost inhuman speed and vomited viscously; repeatedly emptying the contents of his unhappy stomach onto the hardwood floor of his bedroom. Eyes frantic and confused clenched against the sudden pain of bile forcing its way up his esophagus, knuckles white and quaking as he grasped against the mattress. Evelyn, at his side, stirred, her almond eyes fluttering open at the odd sounds her husband was making. Petite fingers rose to rub across her face, a yawn splitting full lips as she stretched still quite contentedly half asleep. "Mmm Rick?.. Come back to bed.." she mumbled groggily, arching as her back elongated and rolled onto her side to look at her husband. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Rick!"

His predicament registered sharply in her muddled mind and her delicate hand flew out to the bedside lamp, flipping the switch bathing the large room in a warm amber glow. Rick continued to heave onto the floor unable to stop, his body shaking from the effort it took to expel everything inside of him so violently. Quickly, Evelyn scrambled to her knees and placed a gentle hand upon his back stroking it in smooth, soothing circles whispering silent words of comfort in an effort to ease his suffering. Alarmed at the amount of liquid and matter splattering the polished wood, the woman hurried into the adjoining washroom. Grabbing a glass she filled it with lukewarm water and dampened a wash rag before rushing back to the bed. Gently she bathed his moist flesh washing away the beads of sweat and salt that clung to his forehead and neck; offering silent support while still quite obviously shaken. The last thing Evelyn had expected to wake up to in the middle of the night was the sight of her husband retching over the side of their bed.

The vomiting soon began to cease, leaving a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach and a burning sensation in his throat.

Shakily he sat back and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, only then noticing his wife. O'Connell turned to her and practically collapsed in her arms, shaking with strain so bad he couldn't even speak. "Here." Silently Evelyn offered him the glass of water, content as he sipped the cool liquid then set it aside, dutifully washing his face of the foul smelling bile. "Rick, darling, what happened?" She breathed softly, a tone of disbelief coloring her voice as she studied his features; noticing the far away look and apprehension in his bright eyes.

_My God, that was horrible! Ardeth-… _

He squeezed his eyes shut against the memory and tried to concentrate on his wives words, but instead settled for the steady thrum of her heartbeat beneath his ear. It was the third dream Rick had had over the last month since leaving Cairo, but none of them could compare to this one. It was so viscous, so brutal and so incredibly _REAL_. In all the other dreams Rick had never come in contact with anyone else, much less been subjugated to anything like _THAT_. Instead, he had spent his time wondering aimlessly through Egyptian halls every so often glancing at a hieroglyph or statue that seemed oddly familiar. This dream was just plain sadistic.

Soon, Rick's shaking too began to subside and he could make out Evy's frightened words.

"Rick! Honey, calm down… It's alright..." Her voice trembled as she said this and when Rick looked up to meet her face he saw her scared eyes and tears glistening on the crest of her cheeks threatening to fall. She had never seen him like this before. And it terrified her. He was always so strong. Even in the face of danger he was tough and resilient, waving off the threat of harm with a charming grin. It was one of the many things she loved about him. And to see him reduced to his current state….

The only time she had ever seen him upset was when something physically happened to Alex or her. Rick had _never_ acted this way over a simple dream!

Something must be terribly wrong.

"Rick, what's wrong? What happened?" She asked in a gentle voice, stroking his hair bathing the flushed skin of his cheeks and forehead tenderly. O'Connell swallowed hard and tried to force words passed his raw throat. "Ardeth, he was-" Suddenly a very vivid image of Ardeth Bay, proud and noble Med-jai leader, being beheaded like a common murderer came to life in front of Rick's eyes and he fell to the side of the bed again. Dry heaves now forced themselves out of his body, not having anything inside his weak form left to expel. Rick was well versed in the ways of war and death. He'd taken many lives himself over the years, and it had never fazed him. But it was something quite different when the person suffering was someone you cared for.

Evy became steadily more worried, both at the name her husband muttered and at his reaction. When he again stopped vomiting Evelyn pulled Rick back from hanging on the edge, seeing him unable to do so under his own power. "What about Ardeth, Rick? What happened? What did you see?" She whispered again, trying to get him to talk to her.

There was a long silence as Rick tried to force an explanation out while trying to quell the unease in his stomach, realizing soon that he simply just did not have the strength to throw up a third time. "He was tortured… Killed. They sacrificed him, and I had to watch it all. God Evy, it was so horrible! They broke all his limbs and dug out his eyes and.. and cut off his tongue.. I couldn't stop them. God they wouldn't-!.. Not until-" His nose wrinkled and his fingers curled as he explained, mimicking the blade as it had carved his friends eyes from their sockets. With a shiver, he felt himself becoming sick again and fought it down hard, clinging tightly to his last shred of dignity and refused to vomit; not noticing how his wife tensed against him.

"Ardeth, he-they…" Evy started to shake as well, her eyes wide as memories and flashes of dismemberment and death surfaced in her minds eye. "Rick, I think something is wrong." She stated simply trepidation turning her face a ghastly white, waiting for him to acknowledge her. Slowly, Rick looked back up to her waiting for her to continue, noting with some alarm, her ashen features.

"A… A couple days ago, when you were out with Jonathan I-.. I had a dream not unlike that one."

"What?" O'Connell cut in, leaning up a bit and looked her steadily in the eye, his features suddenly becoming hard and unbelieving. "Why didn't you tell me?! If something's happened to Ardeth!-" "I didn't know it was him! I knew it was a Med-jai, but the face was shadowed. I.. I didn't know for sure, I suspected yes, but I wanted to know before I told you anything. After the last time I had dreams like this… I just.. didn't want to believe it." Quickly she cut him off and tried to explain, praying he would understand her; words fading into a bewildered whisper.

A knock at the door did little to draw the couples's attention, the creak as it slid open barely noticeable in the silent room. Jonathan stood in the hall, a candle burning in one hand as the other rubbed tiredly at sleep reddened eyes. A yawn split his face, forcing his head back with the action allowing the ridiculous night cap atop his head to slip back nearly falling off. "What's all the hullabaloo about?" He slurred, perhaps still a tad drunk. It took him a moment to recognize the tension that seeped through the walls of the master bedroom like an entity unto itself; the sharp and unpleasant tang of vomit heavy in the air. Carnahan took a step back as the noxious wave of odor hit him, his nose wrinkling in distaste. "I say… What happened?"

"Jonathan." Evelyn waved him off with a sharp command before replacing her hand upon her husbands arm, shifting a little closer as Rick seemed lost in his own thoughts, not even hearing the Englishman's entrance. Silently, O'Connell nodded, sitting further up and sighed, unease still singing through his body. "I need to know what's wrong Evy. I _have_ to know if he's all right. I owe him too much not to." Evelyn nodded and hugged him tight, brushing the sweaty bangs from his forehead with a gentle hand, caressing cool fingers down his cheek as she offered him an encouraging smile. "_We_ owe him Rick… I want to go see him too, see him smile again and tell us that everything is alright… He's a part of this family, maybe not by blood, but he is just as much a brother to me as Jonathan."

Carnahan glanced between the two atop the bed, slipper clad feet shifting uncomfortable.

"Why do I have the sudden feeling that I missed something important?"

* * *

The night air was crisp and swirled in gentle waves across the endless dunes.

The moon sat perched high in the western horizon. She seemed to hesitate amongst the ocean of stars, clinging to her crown in the heavens for as long as she dared before starting the long, nightly trek across the downward slope of the late eve. Once again resigning herself to a long days rest, she relinquished the rule of skies to the fast approaching sun. Small swaths of cloud spread across the glittering canvas of heaven, painted by the very fingers of Nuit, mere gossamer blurs in the bleak expanse of night.

It was a deceptively calm evening, cool and gentle. The play of the sand against his feet in soft swirls and miniature cyclones was relaxing and familiar. To all outward appearances, he stood as a man who knew that all was right with the world and would remain thus until the day the very pyramids crumbled.

But _he_ knew better.

Fingers of apprehension and foreboding walked their way up the base of his neck and curled tight about his throat. The faint tickle sent a shiver of anticipation down his spine. For a moment, he found it hard to breath, and he could not keep the smile of delight from rising upon his features. Dark eyes, hardened by years of adversity and fruitless laboring peered in silent reverence across the vast wasteland of the desert, the shadows casting mysterious puzzles over the dunes. In that moment, he saw red. Nothing but red, as far as the eye could see. A sea of blood lay before his feet, melting the golden dunes and devouring the desert as a great flood of destruction and chaos. And he reveled in it.

The time was coming.

He felt it as surely as he felt the gentle fingers of moonlight glinting upon his tanned cheeks. And he welcomed it with open arms.

Yes.

The end of days was near.

His power will rise. All who stand before him will fall beneath his feet and bathe mother Egypt in the blood of thousands. The very sky shall be hallowed before him and fall upon its knees as he passed; not as a man. But a god. The earth will shake, and the underworld shall be split in twine and drown beneath the flow of bodies he would cast to the wolves.

He knew this. He foresaw it,

And he reveled in it.

* * *

_TBC_

_This chapter has finally been rewritten._

_I hope I did not upset anyone. XD I know this chapter was incredibly odd, and quite disgusting. I warned you. It is also quite a bit different from the original writing. I changed it in an attempt to more accurately capture the characters personalities. I am striving to make all the characters, Ardeth and Rick especially, stronger. More resilient and more masculine. (aside from Rick's obvious distress in the second scene. I tried hard to make it work. To make him strong while still obviously upset; and rightly so. But I feel I was unsuccessful.)_

_I know the first scene is a little harsh. But it was meant to be. I am however, a terrible judge on my own works and can never tell when I have gone too far. So if it appears that I have please inform me XD _

_To anyone who actually read this, thank you. I hope you enjoyed it. Please stick around for the rest of the revamped chapters and many new ones to come._


	2. Chance Meeting

1 "Blood of the Hom-dai"  
  
By May It Be  
  
  
  
~~~Authors Notes: WoW! Sankyou all who read that first chapter and Reviewed! I'm shocked, I didn't think anyone would read it let alone want more! ^_^ Well, that first chapter is a bit dramatic so it will be hard to follow it up. I shall try my best and don't be mad if this chapter disappoints you. (I am sorry if it does) Anyway, here you go! Enjoy!~~~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Mummy', 'The Mummy Returns' or any of the characters belonging to them. (Just the bad guys, 'Heneb and Andrahi, and Asheed, the new curator.) So please do not sue me I have jack squat money this is just for sick twisted entertainment purposes only. However, the idea's and plot for this are solely mine. Do not take them please, ask first if you want them and can do better justice to it.  
  
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Chapter Two… "Chance Meeting."  
  
They had sent a letter to Ardeth three days prior to their departure for Egypt.  
  
Expressing their worries for him and his safety as well as a brief description of their dreams and the date they planned on being in Cairo; hoping he would be able to come and meet them. The O'Connell's had waited nervously for a reply and when none came they simply loaded up their luggage, sent Alex a letter at boarding school explaining where they were going, and left. Alex was sure to be angry with them when they returned home, but they would certainly rather have an angered son than a dead friend.  
  
Evelyn stepped carefully down off the train and into the sweltering heat of Egypt, glancing about the platform for Ardeth's familiar face as she clung to her bag in expectation. 'I hope he got the letter.' She thought, beads of perspiration already starting to form on her forehead as she looked back to her husband and brother when she failed to spot her friend.  
  
Rick picked up the last of their luggage and moved up next to his wife, conversing silently with Jonathan. O'Connell wearily met Evy's eyes and tried to offer some comfort with a shaky smile noting her concern and worry. With a sigh, he wrapped his free arm about her shoulders and gave them a good squeeze, and kissed the top of her head.  
  
"Everything's gonna be ok Evy." He muttered into her dark curly hair, kissing her forehead before taking up her hand and started forward. "I certainly hope so." She replied with a nod, whispering a silent prayer in her head as they walked to the parking area, looking for the rented car the new curator of the 'Museum of Antiquities' was supposed to have waiting for them. It was simply amazing what the good graces of one Med-jai could do.  
  
Quickly Jonathan spotted a car with a small sign written in English reading 'O'Connell' upon the windshield and flagged his sister and Brother- in-Law over, loading his bag in the back. "Evy, its over here!" He called, climbing into the back seat. Evelyn nodded and hurriedly drug Rick over by his sleeve from where he was talking to the conductor at the front desk. O'Connell thanked the man in a rush and pocketed the keys he had given him.  
  
Silently Evelyn and Rick loaded up their own bags into the topless open car and climbed in. Rick quickly pulled the sign off the car and took out one of the keys the conductor had given him and jammed it into the ignition. Soon the three were on their way towards the nearest hotel and hopefully some answers.  
  
oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.  
  
  
  
~~~( The torches burned brightly in the golden halls of Hamunaptra, bathing the walls and sandy floor in a soft copper glow. The sounds of screaming and pleading soon waft through the halls as Imhotep's priests underwent the sacred process of mummification. 'Heneb fought back a cringe as he entered the preparation chamber, his coal lined eyes roaming silently over the faces of the present Med-jai as they dutifully went about their work ignoring the painful wails of the dying men under their hands.  
  
He kept his gaze high, trying to look over the crying men and soon spotted his cousin in the far corner conversing with a tall tearful woman, the three sacred books of Egypt resting next to his lean form on top of a large golden table.  
  
Quietly he made his way towards his longhaired cousin and placed a hand on his gold dusted shoulder, squeezing gently as he looked down. He knew what the gold dust meant and he didn't like it, Med-jai only painted themselves for certain occasion. Moreover, this occasion is one he wished he would never have to see.  
  
Andrahi clasped 'Heneb's hand silently, but continued to talk to the woman in Egyptian resting his other hand atop the books in almost a protective manner.  
  
"I must undergo the ritual of binding. Once done, and if I live, the final steps can be taken and the blasphemer shall be condemned." Andrahi informed the woman, who nodded and glanced between the two men as 'Heneb tensed. "I hope you do survive, my Med-jai. For your sake as well as ours." She replied softly, her wet gaze moving back to the longhaired gold dusted man. He nodded and looked down, his eyes glazing over the three books next to him and a long golden dagger with the mark of Osiris upon the blade.  
  
"The ritual shall begin in one moon shift. Go. Prepare." She said firmly but with gentleness, and turned ducking her head from the pained screams as she left the room. )~~~  
  
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"He should have been here by now, Rick. The letter explained everything he needed to know." Evelyn quipped, glancing about her nervously as they continued on their fast paced walk towards the 'Museum of Antiquities', pushing their way through the busy Cairo streets rather rudely. "What could be taking him so long?" She fidgeted looking up at her husband as they rounded a corner.  
  
"Perhaps he didn't get it?" Jonathan replied from her other side, his hands in his pockets as he looked around at the miscellaneous merchant tables they passed for something to pique his interest. Rick glared at the man over his wives head, his eyes dark. "Why wouldn't Ardeth have gotten it? The curator promised he'd get it to him." She replied, looking back at her brother as he backed away a little from Rick's glaring.  
  
"Just a thought." Jonathan whispered nervously, slowing down a bit and turned his attention back to the merchant displays.  
  
"He'll be here, Evy." Rick stated firmly, turning his attention from his Brother-in-law back to the road in front of him. "And if he isn't?" Evelyn asked him, her gazing staying upon her brother silently. "Then we'll just have to go find him. After all, how many places in this sauna of a desert could one Med-jai hide?" He joked nearing another corner. "I mean, if push comes to shove, we can always just go dig up another ancient evil. That always got their attention before." That got a small smile out of Evy, the first in days, and for that Rick was grateful.  
  
"Lets just hope it doesn't come to that." She replied, grabbing her brothers arm and pulled him away from one of the gambling tables he'd stopped at. "Evy!" Jonathan whined, stumbling up next to her. "We don't have time, Jonathan." She replied letting him go only once the table was obstructed from view by other pedestrians. "You're no fun old mum." He mumbled, putting his hands back in his pocket as they rounded another corner and—  
  
ran smack dab, full forced into another person.  
  
A small inhalation of pain escaped the man Jonathan had slammed into a grunt followed soon after as the two tumbled to the ground in a flurry of black cloth and flailing limbs, the Englishman practically smothering the other man bellow him as they landed.  
  
"Jonathan!" Evy exclaimed, hurrying to help her clumsy brother to his feet, glancing up as she heard similar exclamations from three others above her. She paused, taking in the dark robes and head garments on the three men as they knelt across from her and her face light up instantly, looking down at the man her brother was still crushing.  
  
Jonathan pushed himself up onto his hands and knee's, mutter curses and apologies alike, happy to find himself at least unharmed. "Jonathan?" Ardeth said in surprise between clenched teeth as he looked up at the man lying atop him and nodded to the Englishman in greeting. "Ardeth Old boy! How are you?" Jonathan replied, a smile braking across his face. Ardeth shook his head, the ghost of a smile glancing across his own. "I have seen better days." The Med-jai leader responded, glancing down his body and the area's Jonathan was still lying upon.  
  
A small blush broke across the light haired man's face as he realized he was still atop his friend and darkened as he felt his left knee pressing into a place on the warrior it shouldn't be. Quickly he scrambled to his feet, sputtering apologies in a constant stream of embarrassed words. At his embarrassment, a small laugh escaped the Med-jai. "No need to apologies, my friend." He replied before turning momentarily towards the other three warriors as they voiced their concerns.  
  
"I am fine." He assured them in Arabic, before quickly turning back to face the others.  
  
"Ardeth!" Evy exclaimed, throwing herself at the man and wrapped him in a fierce hug. Ardeth blinked for a moment surprised at the gesture then wrapped one arm around her in response, the other still propping him up. "Evelyn, O'Connell." He replied, smiling vaguely as she moved back and Rick offered him a hand up. Gratefully, he took the proffered arm and pulled himself to his feet wincing as he stretched his side. Ardeth Bay was further surprised then as Rick, this time, pulled him into a fierce hug, shocking him momentarily beyond words.  
  
In all the years the Med-jai had known the brash American, he had never hugged him!  
  
With a shaky smile, Ardeth stepped back nodding to his men as they stood up next to him. "What brings you back to Egypt my Friends?" He asked, his hand unconsciously straying to his side, wrapping around a small puncture in his robes gently. Evelyn and Rick suddenly stilled, their smiles dropping as they exchanged a worried glance. "You didn't get my letter? We sent it about a week ago, the curator promised he'd get it to you." Evelyn explained, watching as he stiffened slightly at the news.  
  
The Med-jai leader shook his head almost sadly, then turned towards the Museum of Antiquities waiting for the others to follow suit. "I received no letter. My people have lost contact with Asheed, that is why we are here." He informed them as they started again towards the museum. Rick studied his tall Med-jai friend carefully, taking note of the hand around his stomach and the way he tensed when speaking of the curator.  
  
"That's not all, is it?… What aren't you telling us?" Rick asked, coming to a halt as Ardeth next to him stopped, his hand about his waist tightening, his head lowered.  
  
Rick's heart sank.  
  
Uh-oh.  
  
After a long moment of waiting, Ardeth raised his head again and looked O'Connell square in the eye. In that moment, he seemed so much older then he really was, years of battle and the horrors of seeing things no normal person could imagine taking their toll upon him. His eyes were clouded and pained, and yet, still all too innocent; it was almost like looking into the eyes of a youth and not a man.  
  
"My people are being hunted, Rick. Some are being taken, others killed… Nine from my tribe alone have disappeared, countless others from the rest. It worries me greatly, and as of yet I have found no remedy." Ardeth replied, his eyes never once moving from Rick's. O'Connell had stiffened as well when the Med-jai had started to speak, a small invisible tremor shaking through him at the name his friend called him. He had never called him that before.  
  
At his side Evy gasped and Jonathan muttered a slurred reply, both waiting however for their friend to finish. "The ones responsible have yet to contact us. And no word of who they are has been found. They will not stop until they find whatever it is they are seeking, and I sincerely fear for what that is." He finished, his shoulders slumping minutely as if weighed down by some incredible force.  
  
"Oh my God." Evy whispered, clinging to Rick's arm. Jonathan's face light up with confusion as he moved forward. "Wait. If you were going TO the Museum, what were you doing running AWAY form it?" He asked, glancing down the street towards the large Egyptian styled building he was all too familiar with. Ardeth sighed then and started walking again, silencing his men as they talked in their native tongue at his side.  
  
"When we reached the Museum we encountered a group of men dressed in red, one held a bloodied weapon in hand. We attacked, they ran, and we pursued." He informed his companions, walking up to the large museum. Ardeth then paused confused as Rick opened the door and motioned them inside. " You have yet to explain to me what you are doing here."  
  
O'Connell froze at that, glancing at his wife, his friend, and then passed him towards the other three Med-jai nervously. "I think it best to wait until we're alone." He replied, noting the confused look on Ardeth's face, but the Med-jai nodded respecting his privacy and entered the room. Rick exhaled and followed the group in.  
  
oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.  
  
  
  
TBC  
  
Ok, yeah, I know that chapter sucked, not much really happened, but the next chapter should be a bit more entertaining. I Hope. Anywho, are you starting to put two-and-two together yet? Hmm? I hope not, that'll spoil it. Again, I'm still not sure where I'm going with this, Heck, I'm still not even sure IF I am going with this. I don't know if I should continue `cause I think this chapter sorta ruined it. Oh well. C'est la vie. Anywho's if you like and/or want more (yeah uh-huh like that's gonna happen) Please Review I will be forever grateful.  
  
Sankyou all who read it!! 


	3. Binding Wounds

1 "Blood of the Hom-dai"  
  
By May It Be  
  
  
  
~~~Authors Notes: Shukran to all of who reviewed!!! Wow! I love you all, you're so nice! ^__^ Well, I'm gonna try and get more going in this chapter and hopefully it'll be a bit longer as well. I didn't realize that last chapter was SO short! Sheesh! Oh well *shrugs* I hope this part doesn't disappoint!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Mummy', 'The Mummy Returns' or any of the characters belonging to them. (Just the bad guys, 'Heneb and Andrahi, and Asheed, and Taniif.) So please do not sue me I have jack squat money this is just for sick twisted entertainment purposes only. However, the idea's and plot for this are solely mine. Do not take them please, ask first if you want them and can do better justice to it.  
  
  
  
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Chapter Three… " "  
  
  
  
"Is he still alive?" Ardeth asked silently, head lowered as he looked upon the gore-strewn marble flooring of the Egyptian hall in the Museum.  
  
Taniif shook his head grimly, reaching out a steady hand and slid the cold eyelids of the curator closed over wide, dead eyes fired open to their limits in his last moments of life. "No. He was too far-gone when we got to him. There was nothing to be done." He whispered in reply, looking up to meet the saddened eyes of his commander and best friend; his heart skipping a beat as he noted the hand grasping his stomach and the blood barely visible between his too-thin fingers.  
  
Ardeth caught the look of worry flitting across his friends face and knelt down next to him, patting his companion assuredly upon the shoulder and looked back to the still form of Asheed. "Ardeth?" Taniif whispered, leaning close so the others would not over hear him. The Med-jai leader shook his head, glancing quickly back at the grimly conversing O'Connell's.  
  
"Not now, Taniif." He whispered in Arabic in response, carefully pulling himself back to his feet and turned to his second in command; a graying man of about fifty named Sadeik.  
  
The man held out a thick letter, blood spotted and crumpled. "He was holding this when we found him. He said to give it to you. He also said to tell you-" Sadeik hesitated for a moment as Ardeth took the offered papers. "he said, he was sorry." Ardeth paused his scrutiny of the envelope to look back up at the man, his eyebrow rising in a silent question. 'Sorry for what?'  
  
The warrior shook his head, looking back down at the man lying dead upon the floor. "He wouldn't say. He insisted you read the letter, it was really important to him."  
  
Ardeth nodded and dismissed his second in command. "Take care of the body and inform his family and tribe. He should be returned to them as soon as possible." He ordered calmly a tight tinge of sadness infecting his voice. Struck by a sudden thought he walked up to the closest of his men looking about at the artifacts filling the large room. "Have the men search the place. I need to know if anything is missing." He ordered, and the man nodded hurrying quickly to the other conversing Med-jai.  
  
Swiftly Ardeth walked silently passed the O'Connell's and Jonathan Carnahan and into an adjacent hall, watching the letter in his palm almost cautiously. O'Connell watched the warrior exit the room with a heavy heart before making up his mind and turned back to Evelyn and his brother-in-law.  
  
"Wait here." Rick told his wife, squeezing her hand one last time before quietly following his Med-jai friend through the hall and into another, much smaller, room. Evy nodded grimly and turned back to the remaining Med- jai in the room. Silently she walked up to Taniif, one of the many friends Ardeth had introduced them to on their last trip to Egypt, and pulled him aside.  
  
"May I speak with you Taniif?' She asked, glancing back towards the room her husband and Ardeth were in. He nodded gently.  
  
"Mrs. O'Connell, it is good to see you and your family again. It has been too long. Of course, my ear is always open to you." He greeted her kindly, a forced smile upon his worn features. Evy nodded, forcing a small smile of her own. "Indeed it has been to long… I hope everything is well with you, despite current circumstances." She replied immediately regretting it when his fake smile dropped and his heart seized in his eyes. Oh no.  
  
Taniif shook his head silently.  
  
"Ardeth has told you of the disappearances among our people?… My brother- was one of the men taken from our tribe." He paused, trying to find the right words to say and keep from breaking down at the same time. "We, we found him two day's later. He was dead. Not long after that, my cousin went missing and, and now Asheed-" he stopped and took a deep breath, casting his eyes down from Evy's not wanting to see the disgust he knew would be there. Warriors didn't cry.  
  
"The times have not been kind to me." His voice was almost a whisper as he finished, his hands fisting tight at his sides.  
  
Evelyn watched the man next to her with wet eyes, her heart going out to him. Silently, she moved forward and wrapped him in a gentle hug whispering soft words of encouragement into his ear. Taniif started with surprise at the gesture, he hadn't expected that, and smiled his thanks to her as he drew back. "Mr. O'Connell is a lucky man to have a wife such as you." Evy blushed at his comment and squeezed his hand in a gesture that Rick always used to make her feel better.  
  
"Ah, but, you wished to speak with me." Taniif suddenly remembered, turning back to her. "Yes, I did…I-" she paused, not quite sure how to start. Quickly she pulled him further from the others, as well as the door to the room Ardeth was in.  
  
"I wanted to know if anything has happened to Ardeth lately, I mean besides all these disappearances. Anything more personal, like dreams or, or attacks on him only?"  
  
Taniif studied her silently for a moment, then shifted his weight, contemplating her words. "There have been no attacks on him directly, no, but he has had dreams." Evelyn's eyes lit up in worry then and he continued quickly. "Nothing of an important matter really, just images of Egypt, old Golden cities and Ancient spells. Why?" Evelyn paused then, not sure if she should or for that matter could continue.  
  
"No dreams of anyone getting- hurt?" She asked and at his shaking head, she relaxed slightly.  
  
"No, none that I am aware of."  
  
'Oh thank God'  
  
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~~~~~( 'Heneb watched the Egyptian woman leave quietly before turning to his younger cousin, watching him silently through darkened eyes. Andrahi turned his own coal lined eyes from her retreating back to his worried dear 'Heneb's face, a heavy sigh forcing itself from deep in his chest.  
  
"Cousin-" "Is it done?" Andrahi asked, cutting off 'Heneb before he could put a voice to his worries. It was 'Heneb's turn then to sigh. Nodding he released Andrahi's shoulder without smearing the paint and slid from worried sibling to faithful subordinate. "Yes, she has been returned to her crypt and the care of her priests." He responded, watching as the shorter man turned back to the table, glancing his thin hand over the surface of the three books.  
  
Andrahi nodded.  
  
"Good… And HIS Priests?" he questioned and, as if on cue, a high pitched wail from one of the said priests split the air leaving a heavy ringing in the two Med-jai's ears.  
  
"It is almost done. But, what of Im-" "NO! Do not speak that name again, my dear cousin." Andrahi commanded cutting him off once again, whirling around to face him quicker then 'Heneb could follow. 'Heneb blinked confused at his actions then nodded, knowing that his cousin knew better than he and listened to his command. He lowered his head, leaving his young cousin to his thoughts before moving up closer to him, peering down at those three cursed books himself.  
  
Oh how he HATED them!!!  
  
"You still plan to go through with it then?" 'Heneb asked meekly, looking back up, watching as his dear cousin's shoulders tensed and turned away from him.  
  
"You heard. You should not need to ask." Andrahi replied, keeping his head low feeling 'Heneb's searching eyes upon his back. "I just thought, hoped-- Why you cousin?! Why YOU, tell me that?!" 'Heneb yelled, grabbing Andrahi's shoulder and threw him around, pushing him hard against the table accidentally knocking half its contents to the sand dusted floors.  
  
"Why must you be the chosen one!? Why cannot one of the elders do it? Or one of the other men!? If you ordered it they would follow without question, they all love you so! Why not me?!" 'Heneb continued to yell his voice not quite lost over the din of the suffering screams behind him, taking up his cousin by both shoulders and held on tight, almost bruisingly so. "Why not me, I have a better chance of—"  
  
Quietly, Andrahi took hold of his cousin's hands in a gentle brotherly grasp, shaking his head 'no'.)~~~~  
  
  
  
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Ardeth walked quietly towards the large wooden desk settled against a ceiling-high, wall bookshelf at the far end of the room, making sure the door was shut behind him.  
  
His steps heavy now, he came to a halt, placing the letter atop the glossy wooden surface before leaning his hand against the desktop, breathing deeply. Clenching his teeth behind slack lips, he carefully peeled his hand away from his side, taking in his now fully reddened hand and the growing bloody smear upon his dark robes.  
  
Cursing himself for being such a fool, he moved around the desk and sat carefully upon the plush desk chair before setting to work on patching up the wound. Quickly, being as quiet as possible, he ripped a long strip of cloth from the skirt of his robe and removed one of his sashes.  
  
Pushing his robes open, Ardeth slide one side off his shoulder and into the crook of his elbow, then pressed the bunched up material against the deep puncture in his side, wiping his hand off on the material before he started to bind the wound.  
  
The door to the small, secluded room suddenly creaked open, startling the Med-jai whose head snapped up, eyes wide. "So here you are." Rick muttered, leaning against the doorframe nonchalantly. "O'Connell." Ardeth replied, quickly abandoning his binding and started to pull his robes back on. "Is there something you need, my friend?" He questioned, trying hard not to flinch as his motions drilled pain through his side and abdomen.  
  
Quickly Rick entered the room, closing and locking the door behind himself and moved towards Ardeth Bay.  
  
Ardeth was on his feet before O'Connell got to his side trying to retie his loosened tan sash about his thin waist. "Stop." Rick ordered, watching his friend struggle with the tie. Ardeth paused, looking up at the American with a raised eyebrow. "Excuse me?"  
  
"I said stop, you're gonna hurt yourself further. That wound needs to be bound. Now sit down." Rick replied, catching Ardeth's moving wrist with his right hand while pushing the surprised Med-jai leader forcibly back into the chair with the other. "O'Connell, I appreciate your concern but it is only a minor scratch you need not worry yourself with it." Ardeth replied, wriggling his captured wrist free and again tried to stand. "I said sit down!" Rick ordered, pushing the Med-jai back into the chair, harder this time, keeping him still with a hand on his chest.  
  
"O'Connell." Ardeth near wined, pushing against his friends hands as he tried to stand for a third time. With a frustrated sigh, Rick reached down and pressed against the bloody smear in Ardeth's side hard enough to elicit a small gasp from his friend, and cause him to recoil wrapping his arm about his stomach again.  
  
"Yeah, uh-huh, a scratch. Do you really think I'm gonna believe that?" O'Connell asked, pulling Ardeth's hand away from the small bloody bulge in his side as he knelt.  
  
The Med-jai leader quickly snapped his hand free again with such force that Rick jumped, looking up at his tanned friend in surprise. "I am quite capable of taking care of minor wounds O'Connell. I told you, you need not worry." He insisted. "God you stubborn mule! Yes, minor wounds, and THIS isn't one, buddy. Now sit down, shut up, and let me help!" Ardeth opened his mouth to counter. "I'll tie you to the chair if I've gotta!" Rick continued, glaring up at his friend, biting his tongue so as not to laugh at the sudden image of Ardeth Bay, Legendary Med-jai, leader of the most prominent tribe of the warrior race- tied to a chair.  
  
Ardeth blinked for a moment then opened his mouth again, and once again, Rick cut him off.  
  
"And gag you too."  
  
The two starred at each other for a moment, glaring, trying to make the other back down first while at the same time, not laugh. They failed, miserably, and within minutes, the two were chuckling, shaking their heads at one another. "Fine O'Connell, if it means that much to you." Ardeth finally relented, settling back in the chair. Rick nodded with a triumphant snort, a victorious grin spreading across his face.  
  
"I knew you'd see it my way." Ardeth suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, and settled instead for shaking his head at his friend with a small smile.  
  
"Take off your shirt." Rick ordered then, becoming suddenly serious as Ardeth winced and fresh blood began to seep through the cloth. Obliging silently, the Med-jai pulled his arm carefully out of his loose robe sleeve and pushed the front open, displaying his rushed effort to bind the puncture. Rick just shook his head to himself, quickly pulling the cloth away and started to examine and prod at the wound.  
  
"Nice tattoo." He commented unexpectedly, flicking Ardeth on the chest over the dark blue hieroglyphs across his center. "I always knew you had more somewhere." "Is that the real reason you wanted me to remove my shirt then? To search me for tattoo's?" Ardeth smiled despite the ache in his abdomen, watching the American go quickly about his work.  
  
Rick smirked, glancing up at the Med-jai with a quick wink.  
  
"That's for me to know," he poked Ardeth's side gaining a small wince and a little laugh. "And you to find out."  
  
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Evy knocked silently on the locked door, waiting for a reply. The Med- jai were growing restless waiting for their leader, wanting to return home as quickly as possible. The curators body had already been cleaned and sent back to his tribe with two of the present, eight, Med-jai. "Are you boys about down yet?!" She called through the door, knocking again. Finally after what seemed like forever, she heard muffled shuffling and a thick, gentle laugh that could only belong to one person.  
  
Evenly smiled, it was good to hear him laugh; it eased her worries about the 'dream'. The door suddenly swung open and Rick came sauntering out, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. His time with Ardeth definitely did him some good! She smiled up at him then looked passed him towards the Med-jai watching as he walked carefully out of the room. He nodded to her kindly.  
  
"What are your plans while here in Cairo?" Ardeth asked quietly, sobering up quickly as he looked down the hall and towards the blood splattered room his men waited in. "We're coming with you." Evy replied almost immediately, looking up at him with strong eyes. Ardeth blinked and looked back down on her then up at Rick; Rick nodded. "I cannot guarantee your safety. It would be better for you to stay here, I do not want you to be harmed." The longhaired man responded, rubbing his hand unconsciously on his robe.  
  
"Nor we you, buddy. Hmm, besides, when has safety ever been an issue with us." Rick responded. "True. Then, perhaps it would be safer for my people if you stayed behind. You three attract trouble like a camel to water." Ardeth smiled, walking quickly by the two laughing O'Connell's and towards his men.  
  
Taniif moved to his leader and whispered into his ear. Ardeth smiled, looking back at Rick with a knowing light in his eyes and nodded, whispering a reply. Taniif shot back slightly, looking with wide eyes at Rick who blinked back, then chuckled, patting his friend on the shoulder before walking away. "What was that all about?" O'Connell asked, moving up to Ardeth's side as they continued into the room. "He just wanted to know about my- problem." "And what did you tell him?" Ardeth looked back at the taller man with a warm brotherly smile.  
  
"I told him you threatened me within an inch of my life and, how do you say, smacked some sense into me." Rick stopped, blinking rapidly at his dark haired friend. "I did no such thing!" He complained, glancing nervously at Evy who was all but glaring at him. "No, but it made him laugh. And for that I am grateful."  
  
Sadeik strode quickly up to Ardeth Bay, looking quietly between the three friends before turning to his commander. "Nothing has been found missing, Ardeth. They seemed to have come for one purpose." He paused uncomfortably, then continued his report.  
  
"Fa'siil and Hadji left to take Asheed back to his tribe about twenty minutes ago and our horses have been prepared. Are the O'Connell's joining us sir?" He asked, glancing again back to the two foreigners. Ardeth paused; not having noticed he and Rick had been gone for so long.  
  
"Yes, they will be joining us. Have three camels prepared for them." Sadeik nodded and bowed out of the room swiftly, moving back to relay his new orders.  
  
"So, what else do we need to know?" Rick asked as the group left the Museum of Antiquities and moved towards the stables at the edge of town. "I do not think it wise to discuss those matters here. When we get underway we shall talk, then you can explain to me what you three are doing here." Ardeth replied, clutching the bloodied, still sealed letter in his hand, itching for some time alone to read it; not having gotten the chance when Rick was binding him up.  
  
"That would be best." Evy muttered, pulling Jonathan away from yet another gambling table, smacking him on the back of the head. "Evy!"  
  
Soon the group was mounted and well underway, ridding out south towards Hamunaptra and the large Med-jai camp hiding within its surrounding cliffs and valleys. Stopping only when night crested the eastern horizon and the horses could no longer run; the large yellow moon high in the northern sky.  
  
  
  
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TBC!!  
  
Well, that was longer. Weird too, I might add. That scene with Rick threatening Ardeth I thought was cute but I know some of you probably can't imagine them doing it, well please, humor me ok. I know this story is pretty OCC, like I said it was spur of the moment, no plotting, nothing done in advance so the characters are vaguely rough. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it otherwise. Please like always, review if you want more. And remember all comments and question (and suggestions and ideas!) are welcome with open arms! ^____^ :D Have a good one!  
  
Shukran to all who read! 


	4. Startling Revelations

1 "Blood of the Hom-dai"  
  
By May It Be  
  
  
  
~~ Authors Notes: Many thanks to all you who reviewed, wow, you guys are SO nice!!! I hope you've enjoyed it all so far and I hope this next part doesn't disappoint. I'm going to start trying to make each individual chapter longer so in the end there should be fewer. (`cause otherwise, with the way I'm, going there's going to be like twenty) Anyway, I hope you like it!  
  
Oh and a Special thanks to Lula, Patty, Xanthia Morgan and especially Deana for emailing me and helping with this story! You ROCK!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Mummy', 'The Mummy Returns' or any of the characters belonging to them. (Just the bad guys, 'Heneb and Andrahi, Taniif and other Misc. characters you don't recognize.) So please do not sue me I have no money this is just for twisted entertainment purposes only. However, the idea's and plot for this are solely mine. Do not take them please, ask first if you want them and can do better justice to it.  
  
  
  
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Chapter Four…. "Startling Revelations."  
  
  
  
Dinner had been relatively quiet.  
  
It was a gentle meal, prepared with care by Evelyn and two of the younger Med-jai, but it was plentiful and filling, leaving the group warm and content; for the moment. Soft conversation rolled about the campfire, a strong camaraderie between men and a calming ease forming despite the current situations. The O'Connell's, Jonathan included, were glad to be back and the warriors were more then glad to have them.  
  
After the meal, a few of the Med-jai went about quickly clearing away the remains, while most of the others retired to bed with lightened hearts. There was just something about those three, Rick especially, that put you at ease, no matter the circumstance. As the tired warriors slumbered, the five remaining companions sat about the still warmly glowing fire conversing now about more serious matters.  
  
"I believe it is due time you three explained your visit." Ardeth said, taking a small drink sparingly from his canteen, watching the nervous glance pass between husband and wife. "You have been avoiding answering me all day. Come now, can it truly be that bad?" Silently Rick heaved a sigh, shaking his head then locked eyes with the Med-jai leader. Ardeth fought back a shiver at what he saw in his friends eyes; weariness, worry, fright, visions of a haunting naught but a week old.  
  
'Perhaps it can.' He thought, shifting just a little bit closer towards the blazing fire and the heat of Taniif next to him. It isn't all that cold but for some reason he was, perhaps he had lost more blood when the Med-jai had attacked those men then he originally thought.  
  
"I guess we owe you that." Rick muttered, looking again at Evy, clasping her hand tightly as she leaned into him. "This will probably sound ridiculous to you," O'Connell paused scrubbing his free hand through his hair nervously, "I had a dream, we, we had a dream and it worried us terribly. So, we came to check up on you and ease our minds." Evy nodded quietly at her husbands side, one hand resting atop his leg, the other about his waist.  
  
"It was an odd dream. Almost like a vision, it was so real. And horrifying." Evelyn commented, starring intently into the red and orange rhythmically dancing flames. "What was this dream? You both experienced it?" Ardeth Bay questioned politely, threading his fingers across his lap, his elbows resting upon his knee's. Their unease with him and their hesitation to speak worried him greatly. 'What could possibly be so horrifying for them to act this way?' "Yes, we did."  
  
Evelyn nodded silently to his question, and slowly bit-by-bit the two began explaining the details of their shared dreams.  
  
Describing to the Med-jai and his companion the temple, and the men in red, the statues, and the odd book. Their hesitation increasing as they slowly began informing Ardeth of his own death and ceremonial sacrifice. The Med-jai leader remained silent throughout their speech, nodding occasionally, his eyes widening at the mention of the book and the temple designs, and a small hint of a smirk played on his lips at the blush that broke on each of the O'Connell's faces when they mention his clothes getting ripped off.  
  
It was interesting seeing them flustered like that, acting as if they had been caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar.  
  
However, if Ardeth was worried or jostled by the horrific descriptions of his own mutilation and death, he did not show any outward sign of it. And that, in itself, unnerved Rick.  
  
Taniif, next to Ardeth however, was positively horrified by the explicit descriptions of his best friend being cut apart and killed, his eyes were wider then Evy thought possible, one of his hands straying unconsciously towards the skirt of Ardeth's robes grasping them tightly in worry. 'It was just a dream. It HAS to be! I will not let him suffer that! Never!… Never.'  
  
"So you did not recognize this temple?" Ardeth asked quietly, his voice subdued and gentle, calm as water. "No I've never seen it before. It was like nothing I had ever seen, although I was only able to see that one room." Evelyn replied, leaning her head against Rick's shoulder. Ardeth nodded his understanding.  
  
"It was completely dark, no light except for that of the torches, no windows and it was fairly cold. Now that I think about it, it might have been underground." Rick responded, rubbing his sore neck as he watched the Med-jai leader closely.  
  
"And what of the book this man was holding? Did you recognize it?" Ardeth Bay asked taking another swig from his canteen listening for Evy's next words. "Yes and no, it looked like the Book of Amun-Ra and the Book of the Dead but it wasn't either of them. It was silver, instead of black or gold. I didn't get close enough to see it all that well, but it looked like it had a handprint on the-" "Are you sure?!" Ardeth cut her off, spitting out his water and shot to his feet causing the rest of the surrounding people to jump in surprise.  
  
"Ah, y-yes." Evelyn stuttered, sitting back from Rick's arms and looked wide eyed at the Med-jai leader. "By Allah." Ardeth breathed then rushed to his tent, looking frantically for the letter from the Curator leaving four blinking faces behind. "I say, what was that all about?" Jonathan asked, wiping water droplets from his arm and neck having taken the brunt of the hard spray. "I don't know." Rick shrugged, watching Ardeth's tent waiting for him to return.  
  
"Do you think we should follow him?" Evy asked, turning her almond eyes towards Taniif who shrugged also watching the tent curiously. "I'll see what is wrong." He replied, standing silently and walked towards his chieftain's tent, lifting the flap and disappeared inside.  
  
A long, silent moment later he returned, an odd expression on his face as he walked back to the group and sat back down  
  
"So?" Rick prompted when Taniif failed to reply. "What? Oh, ah, he is reading the letter the curator left for him." The med-jai replied, leaning forward folding his arms on his knees. "And?" Evy prompted this time, watching the blank look on his face curiously.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, he didn't say anything else. I'm sure he'll be out in a minute." He shrugged, warming his chilled hands by the fire.  
  
It wasn't all that cold out tonight really, except when a swift breeze blew by every now and again, but the look on Ardeth's face when he had walked in on him. Now that was positively chilling.  
  
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.  
  
  
  
~~~~( Andrahi silently moved his cousins hands from his shoulders, looking him squarely in the eye. 'Heneb gazed back steadily, his heart mirrored in his deep, light eyes his hands furiously locking onto his cousins frailer fingers instead.  
  
"'Heneb, my dear cousin, you know that I must do this. Father is too old, he would not survive and no one outside our bloodline is allowed to-" 'Heneb yanked his hands free and pushed the younger man again against the table firmly, cutting off his statement.  
  
"Then why can not I do it?! I am of your blood! Let me bind with it!" the taller man yelled, his eyes all but wet in his distress. Andrahi exhaled, his voice hitching in his throat as he watched his cousins torment. He shook his head, his silk curtain of hair washing upon his bare shoulders.  
  
"You are of my blood, yes, and perhaps you do have a better chance of survival then I, yes, but I can not ask you or any of the other Med-jai to do that which I would not do myself." The longhaired Med-jai stated firmly, wincing internally at the screams of the dying priests still present in the room. "Andrahi you may not live!" 'Heneb insisted, ignoring the pain of the men around him too consumed by his own.  
  
"You think I don't know that?… As the son of the Chieftain, this task falls upon me, and I would rather I try and fail then have you live with the binding." Andrahi stated somewhat sadly, his eyebrows knitting up in an almost silent plea. "I would rather I live with the binding then you not live at all!" 'Heneb retorted, grabbing his younger cousins chin and snapped his head back as he tried to look away.  
  
Andrahi released a shuddering breath and pushed his cousin off of him, his chest practically heaving now. "'Heneb you are not making this any easier!" "Nor are you!" Heneb yelled back, his hands fisting, his fear and worry for his beloved kin so strong it seemed now like anger. "I have made up my mind cousin! Nothing you can say will change that now!" Andrahi replied, turning back to the table and the three books still upon it. "The books of Egypt are my responsibility, and as such, so is the binding."  
  
"Curse these blasted books!" Heneb yelled, rushing forward and flipped the table, scattering its contents rather unceremoniously upon the sandy floor. "All they have ever done is cause us hurt and now you wish them to pain us more!" His voice cracked, a steady stream of tears now breaking free, leaking down his cheek. Andrahi turned back to his cousin, taking his face in his hands. "'Heneb, I promise you I will not die." )~~~~~  
  
  
  
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- Ardeth -  
  
I am sorry I am unable to get this to you personally, but it seems now that I have no choice. There are men here now, about ten of them, there were four who came by yesterday. They want the book Ardeth, the book and the blood of the one who last used it. I know you know what book of which I speak. I told them I didn't know of it. They also want to know the name of the Med-jai leader. I would not tell. I fear you are the next one they seek, you must not be taken! I ran from them when I could and locked myself in my office.  
  
That is how I am able to write this letter. They are trying to brake in, the door will not hold for long. I pray to Allah that you get this somehow, and that he protects you, my Chief. Inside this envelope is also a letter from the O'Connell's I was never able to get it to you. These men have cut me off from the rest of the tribe. Hoping that if I sent something it would lead them to you. I knew though that if you did not hear from me, someone would be sent and I hope you get this soon. They are almost in now!  
  
Keep it safe Ardeth Bay, and yourself! I shall see you in heaven someday.  
  
- Asheed -  
  
Ardeth dropped the bloodstained Arabic letter letting it fall to the bedroll beneath his knees, his too thin hands reaching up to thread into his softly curled dark hair. Things were worse than he thought! 'By Allah! If they get the book and unleash its power!-' Ardeth took a deep almost shuddering breath, shaking his head fiercely. 'No, even if they get the book they would still need the blood of the Med-jai, or rather his reincarnation, who last used it. No one, not even I know for sure who that was.'  
  
Taking another deep breath, Ardeth Bay, picked up the letter and folded it placing it back into the long envelope, tucking it all safely into his sash. 'That is why they have been taking my people then. I pray they have yet to find him.'  
  
Quickly he stood and moved towards the opening of the tent, picking up his scimitar's and long knife on the way, tucking them away into their respective places and sheaths at his belt. He took one last deep, calming breath before he flipped open the flap to his tent and strode outside, making his way quickly back towards the rest of the group that was still awake.  
  
The group turned to him almost as one as he approached, the same almost expectant look on each of their faces. "Ardeth, what is wrong?" Taniif asked in Arabic, standing quickly as his leader refused to sit. Ardeth shook his head, his left hand moving the hilt of the blade directly at his side. "We must leave, now." He informed, the tone of his voice leaving no room for argument.  
  
"But, the men need rest. What has happened?" Taniif insisted, his eyes flicking back towards Evy and Rick as they too stood. Ardeth again shook his head turning back towards his tent.  
  
"There is no time. We must reach the tribe before it is too late. I will send the falcon ahead of us, but we must still leave-" Ardeth's words were cut off by a high pitched horses shriek. Ducking reflexively into a defensive crouch he turned to the sound, his eyes widening as he spotted a large cluster of riders with blades drawn approaching them fast from the right, cutting a swatch through the dark like a blade through flesh.  
  
"We're under attack!" Taniif yelled, drawing his own blade as Ardeth at his side drew his. "Go wake the others! Make sure no one gets taken!" Ardeth ordered hurriedly, pushing Taniif towards the other soldiers' tents, sounds of stirring men already emanating from inside them.  
  
Gunshots soon rang through the air, knocking the first three enemy riders clean from their horses. Dead before they even hit the ground. Ardeth glanced behind him, his lips quirked. Rick never was one for hand-to-hand combat, if it could be avoided of course.  
  
One of the now unmanned horses came charging into the camp, heading straight for Ardeth who grabbed the reins and slowed it enough to loop his foot in the stirrup and jump onto its back. "Aim for the horses!" Ardeth yelled over his shoulder to the O'Connell's and Jonathan, knowing full well that it would be harder for his men to fight back if the riders remained mounted. Rick nodded and knelt quickly next to his wife, aiming down the barrel of his rifle.  
  
Ardeth kicked his heels into the horse and sent him flying towards the red robed warriors, throwing his scimitar at the first man he neared, embedding it deep in the man's chest. The man fell and Ardeth drew another sword.  
  
He could soon feel the heat of battle all about him, praying to Allah that all his men survived as his blade locked with another red-garbed warriors. Adrenaline pounded through him dulling the pain in his side, leaving him unaware of the injury, his blood rushing though his ears so loud he couldn't distinguish the sounds his body made from the sounds around him.  
  
The man he was fighting swung his blade in a wild arch at Ardeth's head, who ducked it easily and moved forward enough to ram his own blade into the man's gut, twist it, and pull it free before pushing the gasping warrior away. The Med-jai turned just in time to catch another blade with his scimitar stopping it only centimeters away from his neck. He pushed the sword back roughly, surprising his opponent, swing in at the man before he could react, slicing him clean through the throat.  
  
The battle soon began to dwindle, the numbers of both sides having been too small to wage a great war to begin with.  
  
"Retreat! Retreat!!" The leader of the red robed men yelled above the screams of the clinking blades, swinging his own sword down to smack the horses tail end and sent him bolting away from the camp. The few remaining enemy riders fled as quickly as possible, two more falling victim to O'Connell's guns before clearing the dunes from whence they came.  
  
Taniif, who was for the most part unharmed, ran up to Ardeth out of breath grasping the reins of the horse as his leader dismounted. "Should we pursue?" He asked, leaning forward slightly as he gasped for breath. Ardeth shook his head and crouched down wiping his blade clean on the clothing of a fallen red robed warrior. "Laa." "But-" "We must return to the Tribe Taniif, now. We don't have time to follow them." Ardeth Bay insisted, sheathing his blade and moved back towards the rest of his men, pleased to see that none had perished.  
  
"Bind your wounds and pack up your belongings. We leave tonight!" He ordered to them in Arabic watching them move about quickly to do as they were told then turned towards Rick and the others. "That wasn't that great of an attack if you ask me." O'Connell commented, replacing his rifle in its holster upon his back and took his pistols from Evelyn. Ardeth nodded, breathing deeply to regain a steady rhythm. "I agree. This was either an attack to simply capture one of my men, or it was not a planned attack."  
  
"I would lean towards the latter." Rick said standing and moved up next to the Med-jai leader. "I agree." Ardeth replied again, fighting back a gasp as his adrenaline rush seeped away and the sting in his side came back full forced as well as a new fresh one in his arm. Great. "None of you are injured?" He asked then suddenly, looking them over quickly, relived at finding no blood. They all shook their heads and he nodded. "None of them got close to us." Rick smirked, patting the gun at his side.  
  
Ardeth shook his head. Americans. "So what now, old boy?" Jonathan asked, moving to stand at Ardeth's other side, tucking his own gun in his belt. "You must pack your things. We must leave." "Now?" Evy asked, wiping her forehead with her sleeve. "Yes, no time can be wasted. We must reach my tribe by tomorrow." Ardeth knelt next to the fire, grabbing a long stick and started to spread the logs and ashes, throwing sand on the bigger flames trying to smother it.  
  
"What's the hurry? What's happened buddy?" O'Connell asked, noting the evident worry upon the Med-jai's face, leaning down quickly to help put out the fire. "There is no time to explain now. Please, just pack up quickly." Evy nodded and grabbed Jonathan, pulling him towards and into their tent. Rick watched them disappear behind the tent flap then turned back towards Ardeth.  
  
"How's your wound?" he asked, pushing more sand over the ashes. "Fine." Ardeth replied curtly, standing up and brushed off his robes. O'Connell stood quickly and grabbed the Med-jai's arm as he passed him pulling him to a stop. "Look, don't start this again ok. I'm just worried about you." Ardeth locked eyes with the American for a moment then he sighed nodding slipping his arm free. "I know you are my friend. I promise when we get to my village I will have them taken care of. But right now we just do not have the time."  
  
Rick watched him walk away silently before starting towards his own tent. He paused. Wait a minute, THEM?!  
  
  
  
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TBC!  
  
Ok, more happened in this chapter Wahoo! And I apologize for the abrupt fight scene I am not good at action fighting stuff really, I either make it too long and descriptive or not descriptive enough. I hope that I'll get better at it during this story. There's a lot more fighting and Ardeth tormenting (Yum!) to come! Stay tuned! Oh and I know there wasn't much Jonathan in this or the last chapter either so hopefully in the next he'll be in it more. Er… I hoped you enjoyed it otherwise. Sankyou for reading it!! Come back soon!!  
  
'Laa' = 'No' (I believe that's how its spelled.)  
  
Shukran!! 


	5. Dangerous Dreams

1 "Blood of the Hom-dai"  
  
By May It Be  
  
  
  
~~ Authors Notes: Sankyou to Everyone as always! I love you people!!! I also wanna say a special thank you to Deana my new Beta reader! I couldn't do this without you! Shukran Sadiqi!!! Well, I said I was gonna try and get more Jonathan into this chapter but that didn't happen since this chapter is mostly about Ardeth ^___^. (hope that makes up for it ^_^) I will put him more in the next chapter anyway, sorry for the mistake! Oh and I'm sorry this one took longer to get posted! I hope that I can write them faster in the future. Anyway, Enjoy!  
  
Oh P.S. Some of this is extremely graphic one way or another. Please don't hurt me!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Mummy', 'The Mummy Returns' or any of the characters belonging to them. (Just the bad guys, 'Heneb and Andrahi, Taniif, his brother and other Misc. characters you don't recognize.) So please do not sue me I have no money this is just for twisted entertainment purposes only. However, the idea's and plot for this are solely mine. Do not take them please, ask first if you want them and can do better justice to it.  
  
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.  
  
Chapter Five…. " Dangerous Dreams."  
  
  
  
The Sun was high, softly cresting over the far cliff's and dunes surrounding the Ancient lost city, the sand white and hot reflecting its boiling rays.  
  
It was well into the next morning when the Med-jai and the O'Connell's had finally reached the warriors camp after a full dark night of traveling. The camp site was in a near uproar at their Leader and his groups swift return, each shouting one thing or another, having been informed by the party returning with Asheed's body of their troubles in Cairo. Apparently, their time away had not been uneventful, on either end.  
  
Ardeth hurriedly dismounted his collapsing horse, passing the reins to the first Med-jai to run to their leader with comments of 'I am fine' and "See to the others', then turned and started to walk swiftly towards his tent. "Chief?" One of Taniif's siblings questioned, running quickly up to Ardeth, glancing back at the O'Connell's and the rest of the exhausted group worriedly.  
  
"Prepare a tent for the O'Connell's, and call the elders to a meeting. I shall meet them at the great hall in one hour's time." Ardeth Bay ordered in Arabic, stopping only once in his wide stepped trek to glance back at the others, clutching Asheed's letter in his hand. "Yes sir." The young teen replied, practically running as he tried to match his leaders long strides.  
  
"Has Asheed been returned?" Ardeth questioned then, glancing down at his little companion. He nodded. "Yes, Hadji and Fa'siil arrived with him before dawn, having ridden all day yesterday. They are resting now. Two others- prepared Asheed's body and left not long before you and your party arrived to return him home." The boy replied, looking down sadly. He had known the Curator, he had been a good man. "Good." Ardeth responded, his voice tight hiding all emotion and pain.  
  
"Yes sir, but um, much has happened since your departure-" the little Med- jai paused then, looking nervously up at his chieftain, ringing his hand's in worry. Ardeth nodded, coming to a stop in front of his dwelling. "I must see to my own matters now, I shall be out in a moment. You can inform me of your troubles then." He replied, looking down at his friends little brother and patted him on the shoulder.  
  
The young one's face lit up at the gentle gesture and he nodded swiftly, leaving then to go greet Jonathan, Rick, and Evy and assure himself of his beloved older brother's continued health. 'Children are amazing.' Ardeth thought his lips quirking slightly as he watched the boy hug his brother warmly, then he sighed and turned pushing the opening flap to his large tent aside and entered.  
  
Walking to the far end of the dwelling, he knelt in front of a small wooden table with a washbasin atop it and set it aside.  
  
'Please, let it still be here!' He thought with urgency, pushing the long multicolored rug the table had rested upon away and started to dig carefully through the yellow white sand below. His knuckles soon scrapped against hard cold stone and he swiftly dusted off the rest of the grit revealing a long Egyptian gold marble box. Carefully and as quietly as he could, Ardeth pried the lid off and set it aside looking down at the cloth inside.  
  
Leaning forward, he folded back the purple and blue material revealing a large silver Egyptian book with a long fingered handprint carved out of the center, ancient hieroglyphs surrounding it and the latches on the side. Ardeth released a breath he had not even known he had been holding, and practically collapsed against its hard surface running his fingers mindlessly over the cold gold of the book protectively.  
  
Blessed be, it's still here.  
  
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"Ardeth?" Jonathan asked, lifting the flap to the Med-jai's tent and looked in spying the said Med-jai rearranging a small wooden table atop a beautiful thick rug. Ardeth turned silently and greeted Jonathan with a small smile motioning him in.  
  
"Jonathan, come in. Can I help you with something?" Ardeth questioned in reply, watching the way the other staggered a bit as he walked. "Is your tent suitable?" he asked then, when the other did not respond. He himself had been in his tent for a good twenty minutes that was more than enough time for the Med-jai to erect and furnish a large dwelling for their company.  
  
"Oh yes, it's nice, lovely rugs. How much did they cost you, old boy?" He asked, plopping down on one of the rugs in Ardeth's chamber unable to walk any further. Ardeth held in a smirk and sat more gracefully across from him. "They were all made here, hand woven." He replied slowly, watching Jonathan with a tilted head.  
  
Carnahan was stalling for some reason, and he wasn't as drunk as he appeared either, if even at all.  
  
"Really? I say, I haven't seen one woman yet. Who--" he stopped suddenly, a funny expression crossing his cleanly shaven face, "You mean, you, the men- I say now that's bloody hilarious!" Jonathan suddenly said, bursting out laughing. 'It would be an interesting sight I suppose, the Med-jai, legendary warriors of Ancient Egypt, weaving.' Ardeth thought, though still not buying the Englishman's chit chat as his real purpose for coming here and raised an eyebrow at the slowly sobering man.  
  
Slowly, Carnahan's laughing died down and he gulped watching the silent man in front of him watch him with dark eyes in return. "What is it you really need Jonathan?" Ardeth asked softly, trying to coax him into speaking with out scaring or insulting him. Jonathan swallowed again and rubbed the back of his neck. "A few things actually." He responded, looking at Ardeth expectantly then sighed and continued when he remained silent. "Well, first off, that chap, Taniif I believe, told me to tell you the Elders will not meet you today."  
  
Ardeth tensed then, looking hard at the Englishman. "What? Why?" He asked, hoping something bad had not happened.  
  
Jonathan hid a smile despite himself. "They said you bloody needed to rest and have your wounds taken care of first and even though you are the, um, some blasted word I can't pronounce right now, they are older and wiser and know better, and so are denying you the meeting until you have rested." Jonathan informed the Med-jai leader, a smile breaking on his face at the perplexed look Ardeth was trying to hide.  
  
Ardeth Bay shook his head and ran a hand over his face with a small laugh. "Will they never cease treating me like a child?" He mumbled, smiling anyway. "And?" he asked, looking back towards a still smiling Jonathan. "I wanted also to say I'm sorry again for running into you yesterday like that." Carnahan replied, a faint blush painting his cheeks again. Jonathan was taking it worse than he was. Amusing.  
  
Ardeth chuckled lightly at his friend's embarrassment. "I told you not to worry. It was an accident." He replied, as Jonathan shifted nervously on the rugs in front of him. Quietly he shifted again before he nodded, looking anywhere in the tent but at Ardeth.  
  
"Lastly, I wanted to talk to you about Evy's dream." Jonathan all but whispered, looking up finally to meet the Med-jai's eyes. "What about it? Did you dream it too?" Ardeth asked, tensing at the thought. Jonathan shook his head quickly. "No, no I didn't, I've just been thinking about the bloody thing a lot lately." "What about it?" Ardeth asked immediately afterwards, trying to keep him talking and not show his own worry at the same time.  
  
"Well, what if its true? What if some bloody bastards want to take you away and rip you apart? What are you going to do?" He asked, shifting again to look hard at the darker man in front of him. Ardeth shook his head. "Not likely, no one outside of the Med-jai and yourselves know how to get here for one. And two, no one knows who I am, and would not know who to look for. You should not worry so. I am sure it was just a dream." He replied, leaning forward elbows on his knees.  
  
"Think about it, old boy. You said you were attacked by men in red right, the men in Evy's dream wore red. Doesn't that seem a bit odd?" Jonathan responded, leaning forward as well, his face worried. Ardeth sighed, yes, he had thought of that and had hoped no one else had noticed, apparently someone had.  
  
Why wouldn't Jonathan just button up and believe what he said, he was only trying to ease his worry after all!  
  
"You must remember that one month ago, the creature and that woman's men wore red as well. Perhaps Evelyn's dream is a trick played by her mind. She did after all have a traumatic experience at their hands." Jonathan's face changed at that, contemplating that new thought. "I hadn't thought of that…. But still, how could they both have had the same dream?" Jonathan then asked, almost acting as if he wanted it to be true. "Their dream's were similar, not identical. If two people are connected strong enough they can have similar dream's. It has happened before."  
  
"You sound like you know for sure that its not going to happen." Carnahan then accused, raising an eyebrow at Ardeth. The Med-jai leader shook his head then, folding his hands. "No, I do not know if it will or will not happen. I am just trying to ease your mind from matters that should not worry you so."  
  
Jonathan smiled then despite his worry and unease.  
  
The rest of the conversation had gone smoothly, both actually sharing a friendly laugh here or there, smiling often. They had spent a good hour just talking when Taniif and his brother entered the tent needing to speak with Ardeth before he slept. Jonathan had left patting Ardeth hardily on the back before doing so and smiled to Taniif, who then returned his attention to Ardeth.  
  
The younger and older Med-jai brothers then spent a good ten minutes informing him of what had happened while he and his party were away, and also informed him of the present state of the rest of the party and their guest. Ardeth nodded grimly throughout the conversation remaining silent as he listened. Soon they too left, ordering Ardeth to rest.  
  
Ardeth had laughed at that reminding Taniif that he too had taken the journey and ordered him to rest as well.  
  
Red faced, he had left laughing.  
  
Immediately after Ardeth Bay removed his heavy robes, weapons and boots, rewrapped his injuries carefully, glad to see neither infected… yet… and climbed dutifully into bed. Falling into a deep sleep only moments after his head hit the pillows.  
  
~There was disturbance outside suddenly as the Med-jai king slept.  
  
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~~~~~( "But-" Heneb started, looking sadly into his cousin's dark almost black eyes. "Please trust me cousin." Andrahi replied, holding gently onto his taller sibling, looking him straight in the eye with a warm love glowing in his own.  
  
"Do you trust me?" he then asked when the other had remained silent. "I-" Heneb's mouth opened, his eyebrow's knitting up in confusion and pain. "Yes. Of course I trust you, with my life, but, I worry for you so."  
  
Andrahi smiled sadly, shaking his head at his cousin's protective nature; he was more like a mother hen then a cousin really. "I worry for you as well, dear sibling, and that is why I cannot allow you to do the binding." 'Heneb opened his mouth to retort but the long haired man cut him off shaking his head. "Please just trust me, know that I will not die, if only because you wish it so, and I will return to you and father." Andrahi replied, waiting for the other to reply.  
  
'Heneb studied the shorter man, memorizing everything about him all over again, just in case. Sighing, defeated, he closed his eyes and nodded. "Alright, you win me over. I will obey you and finish my duties here." He responded, wrapping his arm's around the slighter frame as Andrahi pulled him into a sweet hug.  
  
"Thank you, cousin." He whispered before pulling away with a final smile then turned and left.  
  
`Heneb watched his cousin walk away silently, his hand straying to his cheek where he had touched him. He lowered his head and turned to the chaos around him searching out the Med-jai who were dealing with Imhotep. Silently, heaving a deep breath, he made his way over to the group, watching the priest who likewise watched him as he neared.  
  
"The princess wants him prepared and ready within the hour. The' Chosen One' has been ordered to prepare as well, and will be awaiting you once you are done." He stated to the men, watching the one wearing the Anubis mask more closely than the others.  
  
The men nodded in reply. "Who has been chosen 'Heneb?" one of the Med-jai asked, standing next to a tall table of deadly looking instruments. 'Heneb winced and closed his eyes briefly before turning to the man and gave him a hard look. "The Med-jai king's son." He responded his voice going dead as he spoke.  
  
The men were taken aback at the news some actually taking a bodily step away. "I am so sorry 'Heneb! May the heaven's keep him safe, he is dear to us all." The man who had asked replied, placing a hand on the taller man's shoulder.  
  
`Heneb nodded. "That is all that can be done now." He replied, looking down at the kneeling man, who was staring disbelievingly up at him. "You mean that pitiful excuse of a MAN will soon have the power that I could not?-" "Hold your tongue deceiver!" `Heneb spat, slapping Imhotep hard across the cheek. "I had felt pity for you before, but now you have my anger." He growled, glaring down at the man.  
  
He had not hated him before, that much was true, he was saddened that the Pharaoh had forbade his love but now, no one insulted his family, high priest or not!  
  
"See to it he is prepared. I must attend to Andrahi and make preparations for the ceremony." `Heneb informed looking back up to the men who all bowed slightly and nodded returning to their work. Silently, the tall Med-jai turned and left the chamber, following the path both the princess and his cousin had tread not long before )~~~~  
  
  
  
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My head was pounding.  
  
A finger twitched somewhere, a cold air blowing across my mind or was it my face? I could not decide which, and off in the far distance I thought I heard a voice, the fuzzy sounds only succeeding in causing my head to beat worse. I was numb from the inside out, except for the dull pains I could feel here or there that I couldn't really connect with any real part of my body or memory.  
  
I was sort of floating in a milky haze, not really a part of anything, the dull sensations coming and going too often to leave that long of an impression; Except for the head. The pounding in my mind was steady and hard, sort of a sick parody of a person beating a drum. Nausea would come and go every once in a while and the breeze I thought I felt blew hard and colder at some point covering more of me that I could not really feel.  
  
The main voice had abruptly ceased at sometime or other, the remaining voices soon becoming clearer and more urgent. I know some of them, I think, they sound hazily pained and distressed. What was wrong? What was going on?  
  
Faintly, I felt a finger twitch again, and this time it connected with my mind that it was above my head.  
  
Suddenly that odd, milky hazy vanished and my mind snapped back into its body at the sharp feel of something wickedly penetrating my skin. My head shot up with a pained and confused gasp, vision spinning sickly, trying hard to focus on the form in front of my dark eyes. Something was definitely wrong!  
  
There was a man dressed in red standing there, a man I did and yet did not recognize. He had a blade in his hand and was repeatedly forcing it into the flesh of my chest, forming a faint bloody design.  
  
The rest of the world came into focus then and I noticed about thirty of my missing men, Taniif included, around the room, battered and bruised but alive. Thank Allah. The pain in my chest then began to sharpen as the man continued to carve into it and I refocused my eyes upon him. He did not seem to notice or care that I was awake. It was then that I noticed my arm's were shackled heavily above my head. Oh. That's why he wasn't worried.  
  
I heard a voice, no, two suddenly screaming at the men around me to stop and my head snapped up again, my once again blurry eyes locking onto those of my companion Rick O'Connell's. On impulse, I kicked out at the being in front of me, my bare foot smashing hard into his jaw sending him sprawling towards the stone floor.  
  
I felt my legs being tugged sharply back under me then as I watched helplessly as Rick, and Evy were tackled and pulled back towards the others, they were soon after gagged and shackled. The man stood and wiped at his mouth stalking up to me with anger in his eyes.  
  
He balled up his fist and struck me viciously on the cheek, sending my head to the side and my long hair flying out behind me and over my tense shoulder. That was when I noticed it was longer, hanging almost to my waist and straight as a board as well as my face was smooth and cleanly shaven, hairless like the rest of my form.  
  
How long have I been here?!  
  
Looking down through blurry, watering eyes as the man finished up his cutting into me, I noticed also a multitude of blue tattoos I had not had before. Some now around my ankle's and atop my feet, above my knee's and upon my thigh's as well as a large cluster on my stomach and around my belly button, so many now littering my form as they had been on Med-jai back in ancient times.  
  
Vaguely I did and did not recognize the symbols the man had carved only able to see a few of them from my vantage point, but the book he handled I knew all to well. I realized rather abruptly that he must think that 'I' was the Chosen One! Impossible!  
  
He reaches forward then despite my thoughts and places his free hand upon my bloodied chest, rubbing into it fiercely, bloodying his hand thoroughly before removing it. I had to bite my tongue to keep from moaning in pain at the stinging in the fresh wounds that simple contact had caused, watching wide eyed as he placed his dripping hand firmly into the too long and too thin handprint lock upon the Book's silver cover. And, to my horror, the book unlocked!  
  
The man looked up and smirked in triumph at me as he stepped back, motioning two of his men forward. The first of the two picked up two blades from a table next to his leader and moved in front of me, while the other moved behind me, spooning up against my back, wrapping one arm about my waist and the other about my neck.  
  
These men are insane!!  
  
The man in front of me then moved closer, having tucked one blade into his belt and raised the other spoon-like one to my face. I tensed even more then as he slowly pressed into the flesh of my eye just next to my nose and I bit back a scream as the thing scraped against the bone digging deep. I did scream, however, as he gave it a vicious push and twist digging into the very back of my eye socket and I lost the sight from my right side.  
  
I could feel so clearly the blade as it severed each cord and muscle that had connected the eye tissue to that behind it and the hot feel of blood and the milky liquid from inside the eye ball seeping disgustingly down my face as he scraped the rest of the gore out of my head.  
  
I held back vomit at the feel of my mutilated eyelid hanging limply and torn almost completely off against my cheek bone. The soldier in red turned then clearing my one sided vision for a moment and I looked straight at the O'Connell's, my good friends, biting back the need to vomit again.  
  
Evy wretched forward and heaved herself into the black gag about her mouth, some of the wet bits leaking out around the cloth and onto the floor while the rest fought its way back down her throat nearly choking her. The guard positioned behind her took note of her distress and pulled her gag down which she responded to by promptly vomiting again. Then the man was back again brandishing the now empty blade, pushing into my other eye.  
  
Again, I screamed as it ripped in, twisted, then dug out, taking with it the last of my sight and will. Soon after that, being unaware of my surroundings now, I felt a hand push its way into my mouth and my tongue pulled out harshly, then I felt it severed sharply at the base, my bottom teeth being scraped and lip nearly being taken off as well.  
  
But, I was way past fighting now.  
  
The pain was unimaginable, like nothing I had ever felt before.  
  
I have known pain, so much so its almost hard to remember it all. I've been shot, stabbed, whipped, beaten, had broken bones, and third degree burns and yet none of those compared to all this burning pain, for some reason.  
  
I heard the chanting man then fuzzily in front of me, his voice getting slightly louder as he tapered off the chant, the cold of something sharp poking slightly into my left chest area as the man behind me released and moved away. Underneath all the pain, I was relieved he had finally let go.  
  
I felt a wind kick and tear at my small waistcloth and hair and a thick smoke filled my lungs along with the blood from my severed appendage, making it even harder to breath. The chant became louder and louder and louder until suddenly it stopped and the room fell dead silent.  
  
Instantly I heard a sharp pained screamed followed soon by dozens more and realized it was my own and the rest of the Med-jai, a pounding aching banging ringing through my skull like something was squeezing it in a monstrous grip and something else was beating from the inside trying to get out.  
  
Then without warning my scream stopped, gurgled for a moment in my throat, then fell silent as a blade sheathed itself through my heart and everything went dead.  
  
Or rather, I did.  
  
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Ardeth gasped as he shot up abruptly in bed, his eyes shooting wide as sweat dripped from his face. THAT DREAM-?!--  
  
"Ardeth!!!!"  
  
Suddenly a deep bang rang out through the tent and something small and burning impacted roughly with the left side of his chest ripping a startled yell from his dry throat. With a choked off confused breath he was thrown back against his bed roll, his head pillowed against his feather filled cushion's as blood oozed steadily down his bare chest and onto the thick blankets. His body was shaking as he looked up through wide shocked eyes looking for the source of the shot.  
  
Ardeth's eyes connected to the barrel of a still smocking gun then traveled up the arm and to the face, starring, with a choking gasp at the man from his dream. How was this possible? How'd they get here? Wait…D-Didn't they need him alive? "We've got it sir." A man to Ardeth's left said in Egyptian moving up to his leader holding the large silver book; the third book of Egypt. "Good. Now take the others and kill the remaining Med-jai. We have all we need." The leader growled looking mockingly down at Ardeth.  
  
The man nodded, putting the large book under his arm and relayed the orders to the rest of the red robed men in the tent and yelled it to the men outside that Ardeth could not see. 'Oh Allah, my people!!' Ardeth bit back another scream, his left hand fisting in the blankets while the other tried to smother the blood flow.  
  
The man lowered his gun and knelt next to the Med-jai leader on the ground, watching him struggle to live for a moment before he laughed and spoke. "Oh how the mighty have fallen, great leader… Being their Chieftain, I know I should have kept you alive, making you watch ever single one of their deaths but..." the man grinned then, glancing to his right and two men holding tightly onto a tearful Taniif.  
  
"I am not a patient man. Mmm, and it was sweet watching you suffer in your sleep, you were so far gone you didn't even hear the battle, oh and it was a good one too. I slit the throats of your foreign friends personally." The man smiled in sweet pleasure, closing his eyes momentarily as he drug his finger slowly across his own neck in a mocking gesture of death.  
  
Ardeth choked again, his eyebrows knitting up in pain as blood slowly gurgled its way up his throat in into his mouth. "A-Ardeth! Laa!!!" His wide eyes darted to Taniif quickly at the sound of his voice, watching the pain and loss flitting across the older Med-jai's handsome but bruised face.  
  
"Ah you found your friend I see. Yes, I was quite surprised when I discovered that he is the reincarnation of the Chosen One." Ardeth's eyes snapped painfully back towards the smug man, who was watching his every movement with a grin.  
  
"Yes indeed. I was convinced it was you at first, but it seems I was wrong. Oh well, at least I got to kill you anyway." The man laughed, patting Ardeth's cheek, which caused the collecting blood in his mouth to spurt out and spill over his pale lips and chin. The leader of the enemy laughed harder at that then stood motioning his men out.  
  
"Ardeth! No! Ardeth, ARDETH!!!" Taniif screamed as the three men together drug him out of his leaders tent his eyes locking onto his dying friend for as long as they could. 'Taniif, O'Connell.. my people… No..' Ardeth thought his body jerking in shock, spurting more blood onto his face and chest, a steady ribbon now slithering its way out of his nose as well.  
  
'By Allah, nooo-oo…'  
  
Ardeth's eyes rolled up into his head and his form went slack upon his blood soaked bed.  
  
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TBC!  
  
Mwhahahahahhahaaaaaaa!! Hehe nasty little bugger aren't I? *grins*  
  
  
  
PLEASE DON'T HATE ME, and come back for more!! Don't let this chapter stop you from reading!! PLEASEEEEEEEE!!!! I know it was weird but PLEASE come back and read more I promise a lots still to come this ISN'T the end ok!?  
  
Anyway, SEE I made it longer! Aren't you proud? ^_^ Anywho, like I said there's a lot still to come, the plot is just getting going so buckle your seatbelts baby! Lol yeah, well, hopefully I can get John-John in the next one more. I really like John Hannah he's so funny! And It was hard just getting him in this chapter! That boy's so complex! (not to say that Ardeth isn't! Grrr..) Oh well, hopefully your all still with me! ^_^ Sankyou again for reading and come back for more!  
  
(Lol reviews are welcome of course!)  
  
Shukran! 


	6. Poisonous Problems

"Blood of the Hom-dai" 

By May It Be

 ~~ Authors Notes: This one took a **bit** longer then I was planning to get out. I'm SOOO sorry. I didn't think it would be that hard to write. OBVIOUSLY, I was wrong! Grrrr… Anyway, hope you like. As always Sankyou ALL for the reviews. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to continue on this though. I'm not sure how many people want me to and for some reason I feel I've butchered it. Its taken a DRAMATIC turn from what I originally had planned so I'm rethinking how I'm gonna do this. Any suggestions would be nice. Oh Well. Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Ja ne!

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Mummy', 'The Mummy Returns' or any of the characters belonging to them. (Just the bad guys, 'Heneb and Andrahi, Taniif, Hassan and other Misc. characters you don't recognize.) So please do not sue me I have no money this is just for twisted entertainment purposes only. However, the idea's and plot for this are solely mine. Do not take them please, ask first if you want them and can do better justice to it. Sankyou! 

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Chapter Six….. "Poisonous Problems. "

   A finger twitched.

  "Ardeth?…… Ardeth!"

_ Mm.. what's going on?_

 "I think he's coming around!"

_ What happened?_

"Hey old boy, open your eyes."

_I cannot remember._

"Come on buddy, you've gotta wake up."

_Wake up?_

"Ahi, he's going to be alright isn't he?"

_ But, am I not dead?_

"Yes Hassan, please, just go fetch the healers."

_Ana mish faahim…_

Ardeth's fists clenched around the blankets spread atop him, fighting hard to open his heavy eyes as he heard muffled shuffling from his left and then feet running through the sand.

 He swallowed hard, his eyelids finally fluttering halfway open and groggily stared up at the ceiling of the tent. "Oh thank God," Evelyn breathed, falling into Rick's side in relief. O'Connell nodded, exchanging a worried glance with Taniif across from him then looked back down at Ardeth's confused pale face.

 The Med-jai swallowed again, feeling someone take up his left hand and squeeze it gently. He looked about him through the soft candlelight slowly, taking in the worried, drawn faces of his closest friends. Ardeth started violently with a gasp as he recognized them, trying in vain to rush into a sitting position and pull away from the taunting visions of his companions. _This cannot be happening!_

"Whoa, hold on there!" Rick exclaimed, grabbing his friends shoulders and held him down. _How was this possible?!? How could they be here?! How could **I** be here?_ "Calm down, Ardeth, its ok," Taniif whispered, keeping a reassuring grasp on the struggling Med-jai's hand. "Calm down."

  A sudden wave of vertigo hit the weakened Ardeth full force in reply to his violent outburst, causing him to go slack in O'Connell's grasp with a surprised groan, his vision swimming and blurred. Rick gently laid him back against his pillows, pulling the thick blankets up over his shivering form muttering comforting words quietly. 

 Quickly Evelyn moved up towards the Med-jai's head, feeling his flushed cheeks for fever and with a sigh carefully replaced the wet cloth that had fallen from his forehead when he sat up. "What's taking the healers so long?" she asked, exasperated, looking up at Taniif whose attention was still upon his friend.

 "They will be here shortly. We must keep him still, the more he moves the more rapidly it will spread," he replied, holding tighter to Ardeth's left hand, his other reaching up to wrap over the numb searching fingers of Ardeth's right hand; trying to hold him stationary._ What? Still, why?_

Evy nodded grimly, looking back down to Ardeth.

  Ardeth slowly opened his eyes again once the nausea passed, not having noticed he'd closed them, his mind replaying the last things he could remember over again in his head. _Waking from Rick and Evelyn's-- that dream, Taniif being taken away, the O'Connell's being killed and then-- _

Seeing his friend more or less calm Rick began talking to him, trying to keep him that way. "Hey buddy, how you feelin'?" he asked, moving closer towards Ardeth, watching the Med-jai leader weakly wriggle the pinned fingers of his right hand free of Taniif's grasp and try to reach up to his bare shoulder, feeling for a wound that was not there. 

Ardeth remained silent, starring at their faces; his eyebrows knitting up in worry and confusion when his fingers encountered no tender bullet hole. _But, but it could not have been just a dream-- could it? I feel so horrid, it... it **must **have been real. But...how--?_

"Ardeth?" Taniif questioned, worried at his friend and leader's silence. Ardeth's half-lidded gaze shifted towards him, his sight overlaid with the vivid memory of his friend screaming at him and struggling against the men in red for freedom as he himself had laid prone on his bed roll bleeding to death. "I… am confused… _Wh-what _happened?" he asked, his voice weak and no more than a vague whisper. Despite his utter confusion though, he _was_ relieved beyond words that his friends were all alive and well.

They had to lean in to hear him and even then it was almost too soft. 

Silently the group shifted nervously, looking at one another in worry. Evelyn bit her lip, looking back down at Ardeth before turning to her brother at her side. "Jonathan, could you please go fetch Ardeth some food and some more water. He needs to regain his strength." _At least what he can of it before—no, don't think like that!' _She mentally berated herself.

Carnahan paused for a moment, looking her in the eyes and nodding.  "Sure thing Old Mum," he replied, patting her folded hands before standing and exiting the tent. 

"We'll have you patched up in no time buddy," Rick said with a lopsided –forced– grin, wrapping his free arm around Evy's shoulders. _Yes, great, wonderful._ "What…happened?" Ardeth asked once again. They were stalling and he knew it. _Why was everyone suddenly being so, how is it, 'touchy-feely' with me now? _They avoided every serious question he asked._ Ever since the O'Connell's had arrived they've been acting as if I  were dying-- Wait… Could THAT be it? Am I--?_

"Ardeth… you've been unconscious for almost four days," Rick blurted, receiving an elbow in the gut from Evy who glared up at him. Ardeth just blinked in reply. _What!? If there was no bullet wound then how could **that** have happened?_

"Do you remember those men we encountered at the Museum?" Taniif asked then, watching his friend's silent face. Ardeth shifted his eyes weakly to him, remaining mute. 

"The- the one who injured you, he, the blade.. it… it was poisoned. You have eight days from the time the venom enters your blood to live." He paused, averting his eyes sadly from Ardeth's wide-eyed gaze._ Poison?_  "That was five days ago. You have three more…"

_Oh. So, that **is** it, I **am** dying. That would explain the grogginess and weakne- wait a minute!_ "How do you know this?" Ardeth asked, his voice still incredibly soft but stable now, no longer shaking. 

"A man dressed in red confronted the camp the day we returned. He must have followed us back from Cairo. We could not rouse you to meet him and he knew why…he explained to us that you were poisoned and that you would die before the next full moon if you did not give them the 'book'." _It was most **certainly** all a dream then, if they do not have it._ "Which ever that is." Taniif mumbled the last to himself, watching the patterns in the quilt spread atop Ardeth.  

"He said they would give us the antidote if we gave it to them. Somehow though, I don't think they really mean to," Rick said then, looking across at Taniif's lowered head. 

Rick knew what he was going through. It was so painful watching Ardeth suffer like this, it was like watching a brother with cancer wither away before your eyes but worse. They knew there was a way to reverse the poison's effects, it was almost within their grasp**, almost**, but there was little to no chance that they would be able to obtain it. Those men made sure of that. 

All attempts to find an antidote so far had failed.

Vaguely Ardeth nodded, swallowing hard again, pooling as much strength as he could to talk. _Blast this weakness! _"I.. doubt they will as well… And- I will not give them.. what they ask for," he whispered, pausing and swallowing after every other word, his low lids fluttering closed on occasion, and each time fighting to reopen. "Even if it costs you your life," Rick said, stating it quietly rather then asking it, knowing full well that Ardeth would sacrifice himself if he had to. 

The Med-jai leader locked gazes shakily with O'Connell, a faint fire blazing in their hazy, dark depths. Rick nodded. 

"No one- must ever posses the book or.. the Chosen one… no matter the cost," he replied softly, turning his head to again gaze blankly up at the blurry canvas ceiling.  

"This 'book', what is it? Why is it so important? Is… is it one of _those--_?" Evelyn asked, removing the cold cloth from Ardeth's forehead and dipped it back in the basin, wringing it out quickly. Ardeth shook his head quietly, trying to regain enough strength to speak what needed to be said.

"Perhaps-- we should wait, he is too weak to explain now," Taniif said suddenly, watching as Evy carefully bathed Ardeth's chest, neck, and face with the wet cloth before replacing it again upon his clammy forehead. Evy nodded, patting Ardeth on the shoulder and brushed the bangs from his eyes. "You need to rest." _Yes, rest, I need rest.. However.. this must be done. Now._

 The Med-jai leader blinked back dizziness and the gray that was forming around the edge of his vision. He weakly reached out and took a hold of Taniif's arm, who looked down at him, almost startled at the contact. "Please… c-call the Elders to- a.. a meeting and send word to the Med-jai of Abydos...to be on their guard…" Ardeth ordered, his grip loosening and his hand falling limply back to his chest. Taniif blinked in confusion as did the O'Connell's. 

"You are not strong enough now to meet them sir, I think it best--" He was interrupted then as Hassan and the healers returned, who tried to quickly usher everyone out of the tent. Evelyn steadfastly refused as did O'Connell. 

"This must- be done, Taniif..." _If.. I **am** going to die.. this _**must**_ be done now. It can wait no longer…_

Ardeth looked expectantly up at Taniif as the other stood. He nodded with a conquered sigh. "I shall do as you wish, Ardeth," he replied, bowing low and turning to leave with his little brother in tow after bidding the others goodnight and ordering the healers to take good care of his poisoned friend.

The healers, of course, complied silently, setting about their work to help Ardeth and make him comfortable in every way they could.  

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   ~~~~~~( _The fires in the golden torch pots burned and flared to life, brashly painting and licking constantly at the gold dusted and lavishly colored hieroglyphs decorating the walls. The room was silent save for the constant beat of the flames and the deft shuffling of sandaled and bare feet that carefully scraped through the sand littered floor. _

_The Med-jai moved about their work mutely, most with bowed heads and averted eyes, preparing the pedestal and sacred blades and placed the three books of Egypt in their respective places about the room. All had heavy hearts, weighted by what had come to pass and what was yet to come. All feared this day. They had lost one king, and now feared they would loose another._

_'Heneb watched numbly from his perch, as three of the palace painters carefully decorated and painted upon Andrahi's smooth, hairless flesh._

_ Swirling dark black and blue designs danced through the gold dust already set upon his skin, the men also tattooing in new marks of distinction and rank as well as scrawling, or rather, etching the ancient binding script into his back, bathing the shallow scratched glyphs in his own blood._

_Andrahi made no sound as the blades were bore upon him, did not even grace the pain of the knives with a wince, the only outward sign of his discomfort being an occasional twitch of a willow wisp finger or clenching of the fist or jaw._

_'I cannot believe he is really doing this.' `Heneb thought, shifting uncomfortably. It hurt **him** just to **watch!** He could not imagine what his dearest cousin was going through._

_He sighed and shook his head, giving up on the idea of becoming comfortable, 'Not this day, or any after if he should die…' and silently stood, walking with lowered eyes towards his cousin's form kneeling over a bracing stone bench. He placed a softly shaking hand upon his cousin's shoulder, brushing gently across the thick silk hair that lay there, feeling the tense muscles below constrict and shift in pain._

_"It shall not be long cousin, the scribes shall finish soon," he whispered into Andrahi's ear as he knelt next to him, surveying the red mass of lashes upon his back and winced in sympathy. The long haired man shook his head, leaning further forward on the cold stone bench clenching his white knuckled hands, reaching one up to grasp almost painfully so onto `Heneb's for comfort._

_"There is still much more to come, Cousin... The spell must be cast upon the front as well as the back," Andrahi rasped in reply, clenching his pristine teeth tight behind slack black-lined lips. `Heneb looked sadly upon him, running his hand over Andrahi's hair soothingly. _

_"Is that really necessary? Is not the back enough?" he asked, glancing again at the hieroglyphs splayed over his hunched back and shoulders._

_Andrahi shook his head sharply. "No, it must be both; the spell will be stronger with both," he replied, looking at `Heneb's drawn face from the corner of his kohl lined eyes.  Silently, `Heneb nodded, lowering his eyes for a long moment, thinking before speaking again. Andrahi was so much wiser then his twenty years of age, but this was most certainly not one of his better decisions in `Heneb's opinion, but he knew now the futility of fighting with him. _

_"What else must be done?" the older cousin asked finally, watching dutifully as the scribes carved over the sensitive area of the spine. Andrahi went further rigid despite his efforts to hold still, remaining mute however to the pain and Heneb's question. _

_`Heneb's heart sank deeper. _

_"I must work now upon your legs and front, sir," one of the younger painters said then, leaning back from his work and stood. "We must move now to the pedestal." Another spoke, standing as well and turned to catch one of the passing Med-jai. "Have the ash spread and the honey prepared," he ordered quietly, watching as the warrior nodded, averting his eyes from his master's blood and moving to the stone alter._

_Carefully, Andrahi pulled himself to his feet, visibly wincing as he stretched; his back and arms pulling on the already torn flesh. _

_"We must move quickly now," the young scribe said, taking up Andrahi's arm and pulling him slowly towards the stone 'bed'. "The more blood that escapes, the harder the binding shall be." )~~~~~~_

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  The sun was just cresting over the cliffs and dunes, casting dark blue shadows over the rivers of yellow sand, giving body and waves of life to the white dusted desert. The sky was gold and pink, what few clouds there were, were ivory with copper lining glowing vaguely in the sky giving way to a beautiful sunrise. The large Med-jai camp slowly arose to the gentle breeze of morning, a heavy tension settling soon over the previous slumbering calm. 

 The healers sleepily exited Ardeth's large tent, meeting with Taniif who awaited them, quietly conversing in a low somber tone as the rest of the camp awoke and prepared for the new day. The morning fires were already blazing and the cooks were hard at work preparing the day's first meal, the heavy scents of cooked meat and thick stews billowing through the air. 

  Hadji silently moved up to the tired group, pulling Taniif aside before he could begin speaking with the healers, casting occasional glances at his leader's dwelling with worried eyes. 

  "The message to Abydos was sent last night as Ardeth ordered… I- am not sure I understand why, however, but it is not my place to question him." Hadji spoke in Arabic, muttering the last to himself absent mindedly, then locked gazes with the older man again. Taniif nodded as well, listening, mutely stifling a yawn.

  "The perimeters around the camp and Hamunaptra have been doubled as well, and the elders have been called to a meeting. They should be assembled within the next four hours." Taniif raised an eyebrow, clasping his hands behind his back. "That soon?" he asked, glancing again back at Ardeth's tent as two of the healers reentered it. 

  Hadji nodded, watching the healers curiously as well. 

  "Yes, if not sooner. They were informed of the meeting last night; luckily, most of them were already here at the time. Iaib and Sheik were in Cairo and shall be here within the next hour, and Jahad was already on rout here from 'home' when he received the order." He spoke softly, his eyes still upon the tent. 

  "Good. And.. what of the informant?" Taniif asked, shifting his weight onto his left foot cocking his head to the side. 

  At that Hadji looked down, studying the sand below his booted feet, fists clenched at his side. "No word has come from or of the messenger. None of the men have spotted him or any others near the city…What was the point in him coming here and demanding this 'book' in return for an antidote, if he will not return himself in time for it to be of use?" He asked, his voice full of emotions Med-jai warriors were not supposed to show, ranging from meekness, to fear, to anger. 

  It was understandable. He held his King close, as they all did. They, as one, loved and respected Ardeth, as he did them. It would devastate all the Med-jai if they were to lose him.

  Taniif looked silently upon the younger, shorter man for a moment before he reached forward and clasped his shoulder firmly. "We are all worried, Hadji." He spoke softly, watching the man's lowered head as he simply nodded. "The Master is strong, he would not be beaten so easily. Keep your heart light." 

 Hadji nodded silently again, raising his head to lock gazes with Taniif once more, searching them for conflicting emotions to his words. He straightened and took a small step back. "Any other orders?" he questioned, looking for the umpteenth time to the healers who were now in turn staring back. Taking the hint, he prepared to leave. Taniif lowered his hand and nodded, re-clasping it with the other behind his back. 

  "Yes, see to it that proper accommodations are prepared for the Elders and the meeting hall is in order for their arrival. Oh, and if the O'Connell's have risen, see to any of their needs as well. But if they are not yet awake, please do not wake them." 

  "I shall," Hadji bowed and turned to leave, but paused suddenly and half-turned back. "Take good care of Master Ardeth, Taniif. May Allah be with him," he said softly, bowing again and starting on his way. "Yes, may he indeed," Taniif replied gently, looking down as his eyes flooded with emotion before he turned back to the waiting healers.

The eldest of the three healers moved forward to meet him a few feet away from the entrance to the dwelling, keeping his voice low. "He is awake," he said softly, motioning the other two apprentice healers back into Ardeth Bay's tent. "He is none too happy with our drugging him to sleep last night, let alone our having to force feed him our medicines and the food he needs to regain his strength." The man snorted, absently rubbing the palm of his hand against his pants were his robes split.

  "That boy always was the stubborn one," the healer muttered to himself with a not-quite smile. "I know the state of his stubbornness, it sprouts from having a big heart I assure you," the younger warrior said. "How is he otherwise?" Taniif asked, watching the usually lighthearted elder man, his voice as serious as a straight pin. 

   The healer shook his head sadly then, taking in a deep breath before exhaling it in a heavy sigh.

  "He has regained all the strength I believe he can, without the antidote. He can move around a slight bit and he _should_ be able to talk for long periods of time --as he seems so determined on doing this afternoon-- but with some difficulty, however. The venom has already affected his air ways, causing abnormal breathing and heavy wheezing." The man shook his head, locking eyes with the taller warrior. 

  "I do not recommend him walking on his own either. To be truthful, I do not recommend any walking at all, it will only serve to spread the venom faster, but he insists he must. And as I can not go against his word, I am forced to let him, but he must have aid at all times." The graying man paused, keeping a strong lock on Taniif's gaze. "I am afraid that, by tomorrow, he will not be able to move."

  "Without aid you mean?" Taniif asked, folding his arms and shifted to his other foot trying to hide his distress. The elder man shook his head sadly. "No. No, I mean at all. He simply will not have the strength to move, possibly not even talk." The healer paused and chewed on his bottom lip, breathing in the sweet scents of breakfast. "We **must** get that antidote before nightfall tomorrow! If not, he will have a maximum of possibly two days to live. There's nothing more we can do except keep his fever down and give him pain medication."

  Taniif exhaled, closing his eyes and lowering his head. He nodded silently to himself, running all the different ways he could kill the men who did this over and over again in his head. "Sir?" One of the apprentice healers asked, walking up to Taniif and the older man. The tall warrior looked up watching the young healer. "Yes?" 

 "Master is asking for you," The young man said in broken English, fiddling with his hands behind his back. "I will be there in a moment." Taniif said, nodding again before turning back to the lead healer. "Anything else I need to know?" The healer shifted, looking at his young friend. 

  "Yes. Do not let him get excited or emotional, keep his talking and movements to a minimal if you can. There is a bottle of green liquid next to his bed; if he has too much trouble breathing or has a coughing fit have him drink from it. Other then that, all I can say is keep him comfortable." The tall warrior nodded. "You and the others go rest now, you need your sleep," Taniif told him, stepping closer to the tent. 

  The healers nodded, the elder sending the two younger ones ahead of him. "If I see the O'Connell's I will explain to them all I have told you and I will send them over," the last healer said before he turned to go. 

  "Shukran," Taniif said after him, watching a moment longer as the man went on his way. 

  "Do not thank me now, Taniif. Thank me if he lives..." The graying man replied grimly without stopping, continuing on his way. 

 The Med-jai warrior nodded at him, wide-eyed, before turning back to Ardeth's tent, taking a deep breath before entering. Quietly he made his way to his leader's side, kneeling quickly next to his seemingly asleep pale form. He winced inwardly at the labored sound of the Med-jai leader's wheezed breathing and the cold white pallor of his skin. Ardeth did not stir as Taniif knelt and removed the cloth from his clammy forehead, dipping it in the basin of cool water next to his bedroll. 

  "I thought you were awake," he muttered to himself, wringing out the cloth and dabbing gently at Ardeth's face, cleansing his pale flash with the cold touch. Taniif dipped the cloth again in the basin, wrung it out, and replaced it upon his leaders forehead, brushing the bangs aside carefully. "I am," Ardeth said suddenly, his eyes remaining closed. Taniif almost jumped out of his skin when he spoke.

  "You startled me," Taniif breathed, adjusting the thin blanket atop Ardeth's form. "I know," he replied, his eyes still closed, a ghost of a smile upon his pale cream lips. Taniif snorted, glaring at him. "Why did you not speak when I entered?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest. "…I could not help myself…" Ardeth replied, his small smile widening. "Oh if your father could see you now, scaring off poor defenseless young men!" Taniif spoke in a mock hurt, raising his nose as he looked away.

  Ardeth snorted softly. "Your hardly defenseless Taniif, and your hardly a young man."  Taniif's mouth fell open in shock, laughing as he lightly punched Ardeth's bare shoulder. Ardeth winced at the light hit, the poison coursing pain through his veins like blood, but continued to smile gently none-the-less. "Oh! Forgive me I was not thinking," Taniif apologized quickly hurriedly trying to make sure his childhood friend was comfortable.

      "Think nothing of it… I suppose, I deserved it." Ardeth said quietly, coughing as he opened his eyes. "Laa," Taniif shook his head, looking away from Ardeth. The Med-jai chieftain closed his eyes again, trying to take in deep breaths and calm his spinning vision.

  "Have… Have the elders been called?" he asked, remembering more important matters he must see to. His friend nodded, looking back up. "Yes, they should be here within the next few hours. Preparations are already being made, and word has been sent to Abydos, as you ordered." Ardeth nodded, folding his hands over his stomach. "Good. And the camp?"

  "The guard has doubled around the camp and Hamunaptra. If anyone is spotted you will be informed immediately," Taniif replied, folding his own hands in his lap, watching his leader carefully. "I.. I want you to have a guard with you at all times, Taniif." Taniif's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "Me? Why, what's wrong?" Ardeth shook his head, opening his blurry eyes again and locked gazes with his companion. "I can not explain it right now. Just do it, please." 

  Taniif studied him a moment longer then nodded with a small smirk. "Alright, I shall, but just to make me feel better I'll make sure there is one with you as well," he said triumphantly, crossing his arms over his chest again. Ardeth laughed softly, wincing as it caused his chest to constrict painfully, and he started coughing again. 

  Taniif quickly took up the bottle the healer had indicated and uncorked it, picking up Ardeth's head gently and held it to his lips. "Here. Drink." 

  Ardeth nodded his thanks when he finished and slowly forced himself into a seated position, pulling the blankets tightly around himself when he noticed the absence of all his clothes save the large gauze wrappings around his wounded side and left bicep. He raised an eyebrow at Taniif who grinned and yet still managed to look sheepish. "The healers. You were burning with fever two nights ago. They wanted to cool you and bring it down." He informed, scooting back slightly. Ardeth nodded. 

  "You should go rest. I was told you were up all night waiting for me to awaken. I wish to bathe and dress now, I am in no further need of help." Taniif shook his head and stood, trying to help Ardeth as he too struggled to his feet, keeping a firm grasp on the thin blanket draped about him.

  "No, I have other orders. You must have aid at all times, the healers said," Taniif replied, threading Ardeth's arm over his shoulder and his own around his leaders too thin waist. Taniif frowned at how slender he had become. Ardeth had always been thin but now, he could almost feel the bones pressing tight into his flesh. 

  "I am quite capable of bathing myself," Ardeth quipped then, removing his arm from Taniif's shoulder and took a step forward. He promptly lost his balance and stumbled back against the older man. "Perhaps. But how will you get there?"

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TBC!

  Whew! That was confusing and REALLY long. Heh. SO sorry it took so long to get posted, I was seriously stuck for about a week and had to work all the next so I didn't have much time to write. Ah well, I Hope you enjoyed it! And I hope it surprised you! ^__^ Lol. Stay tuned cause there's more surprises to come! LOL Mwahahahaha! YES, The NEXT installment will be ACTION (of all sorts) Packed!! Wahoo! Anyway, all suggestions are welcome with open arms and all comments and criticism is as well of course! (Good Grief! I didn't get Jonathan in this one hardly at all!! Grrrrr! Well, next chapter hopefully!. Yes. NEXT chapter for sure! ^_~ Promise.) 

Oh by the way, just incase you didn't know all scenes with Andrahi and `Heneb are set 3,000 years ago when Imhotep was cursed. Everything else should be happening in order after the last scene before it (not including `Heneb / Andrahi scenes of course) unless otherwise indicated. (just wanted to clear that up)

  Ah well, Hope you liked it! PLEASE review if you did! (Or didn't for that matter. I just wanna know someone's reading this. *grin* J/K)

**Translations: **

_Laa = No_

_Shukran = thank you_

_Ahi = Brother _

_Ana mish faahim = I don't understand_

_(Thanks to Deana for the Translation help!! And of course the wonderful Beta-ing!!!!!)_

  Shukran! Come back soon!


	7. Strange Side Effects

"Blood of the Hom-dai" 

                                                                    By May It Be

 ~~ Authors Notes:*SLAPS SELF* UUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH THIS TOOK SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LONG I'm SOOSOSOSOSOSOO SORRY!!! Well, Thank you all for the reviews, I hope this one is ok. And a SPECIAL thanks to Deana for getting me off my tusshie to get this written and for all the names and translation help! Shukran Sadiqi! Anyway, Enjoy! ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Mummy', 'The Mummy Returns' or any of the characters belonging to them. (Just the bad guys, 'Heneb and Andrahi, Taniif and other Misc. characters you don't recognize.) So please do not sue me I have no money this is just for twisted entertainment purposes only. However, the idea's and plot for this are solely mine. Do not take them please, ask first if you want them and can do better justice to it. Sankyou! 

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Chapter Seven………         "Strange Side effects." 

            "Th-thank you all for coming on such a sort notice." Ardeth spoke weakly, his shaking fingers spread flat against the giant rectangular wooden table before him, his legs quivering beneath him. 

The twelve Elders nodded their heads in respect to his words, their eyes however shaded and despairing at the state of their master and beloved leader. 

"However," Ardeth sighed, limply falling into his chair as his strength gave out. "The terms—on which you were called here—are of the utmost importance..." He took a deep breath, running over his carefully planned out speech for the third time in his head; just for good measure.

            "As I am sure you have heard by now…I have ordered the Med-jai of Abydose…to be on their guard and to strengthen their perimeter… as well as for Hamunatra." The weak Med-jai said, pausing for their replies then continued, turning his eyes away from the O'Connell's and Taniif at his left. "As I am also sure, you have been informed of my…current predicament…"

One of the eldest men of those gathered nodded his head, shifting forward to lean his black clad arms on the table. "What do they want in exchange for the antidote?" he asked, running his thick fingers over his trimmed white beard, trying to hide his own nervousness. 

Ardeth raised a brow and shifted his eyes toward Taniif. The older Med-jai simply shrugged nonchalantly, trying his best to look calm and unfazed when inside, he felt anything but. "I thought you wanted to be the one to inform them." Taniif replied, crossing his arms on the thick polished wood. 

A thin smile of thanks curved Ardeth's lips as he returned his attention back to the rest of the group. "They-they want the book of Osiris… the book of souls," he stated deadpan, waiting for the inevitable reaction.

He was not to be disappointed.

The entire assembly went into an outraged uproar in a matter of seconds at the omission. "WHAT?! Are they crazy!?" One of the Elders yelled in disbelief, his graying wavy hair flailing about his ears as he fervently shook his head in anger. 

"What could they possibly want with the book? The creature has already been lost in the depths of the underworld, he can not be risen again!" Another Elder stated, his long white hair pulled back into a kinky braid half hidden by his headdress.

 At the mention of Imhotep, Evelyn and Rick's eyes went wide, taking in the conversation as best they could. _ He can't be raised again, he CAN'T!! _ 

            Asim shook his head, his one eye staring sternly but kindly at his fellow Elder, the hideous scar marring the left side of his face giving the impression of a mad and ferocious warrior. "You are wrong, Te'nab, he can be brought alive a third time, but they need the blood of the Chosen one to do it." He spoke softly, staring at the braided one, his voice gentler then his appearance would lead one to believe. 

            "No one even knows where the book is! The knowledge of its resting place was lost with the Chosen one, when the book took his life three thousand years ago!" Sallah quipped, leaning forward and bracing his weight heavily against the table, his fist pounding suddenly against it as he stood. "They have done all of this for nothing! So many dead, and now our Chief is to follow! They go too far!" the brash Med-jai yelled, his eyes ablaze with disgust.

            Ardeth shook his head, slowly forcing himself rather shakily to his feet. He hung his head at the weakness and vertigo the effort caused, gasping in heavy breaths, his full, slight weight braced against the thick tabletop as he tried to regain enough strength and breath to speak. "Please, take…your…seats and calm down..." 

The brash Sallah opened his mouth to counter, his fist clenching. "But, we do not have—"  

"Please, let m-e speak…" Ardeth interrupted, the weakness inside him blatantly making itself present in his voice and drawn face, his not quite whispered plea enough to stun and silence the entire room. 

Weakness was not something Ardeth Bay experienced often, let alone displayed for others to see. He was the Med-jai's strength, their very core; that's how they have always known him.

            Ardeth gulped down another breath and shakily shifted his feet below him. "None of you…have heard the whole story behind the Book of souls," he stated instead of really asking, but the room collectively nodded their heads in answer anyway.  "Should I explain it then?" he asked this time, watching each member of the room closely. Again they all nodded, albeit somewhat hesitantly, none of them quite sure he was fit enough to talk as much as the story would require of him. 

            It was Ardeth's turn then to nod as he collapsed again in his chair, this time heavier and harder then the first, his breath still ragged. 

"When The Creature priest and Anck-su-namun murdered Seti, the princess ordered that he be forced to suffer the curse of the Hom-dai. However, the curse required the use of the Book of Osiris, and to use the book…one with a pure heart must sacrifice their soul and life giving blood to the book and the burden of its protection." He stopped to take a breath. "The person chosen, if strong enough…would not actually die, but instead his soul would be fused to that of the books for all eternity until he is released and another sacrifice is made." Ardeth paused, blinking his eyes to rid them of the sweat trickling into them. 

Taking another deep breath, he continued.         

"At the time the Med-jai king was an elderly man reaching the last of his years…his only son…who was himself in his early twenties, was chosen. The binding…was a success and the curse was cast. As I am sure you already know." He spoke the last looking in the O'Connell's direction, who both immediately adopted embarrassed expressions. Ardeth's lip quirked slightly before he turned back to the Elders and continued his story.

"However, there was one side effect of the binding that no one expected...the book itself had a soul, of that the Chosen one knew, but he was unaware of the book's ability to be human…at least in the sense of having human feelings and reactions to the things around it. The Book eventually...fell in love with the Chosen one, madly in love…it even created a child from the Chosen one's soul and blood; forbidding him to have a mate save the book herself." He stopped again, regaining his breath, studying the stunned expressions of the tent's occupants. He gave them no time to reply, trying hard to finish the story before he collapsed completely into unconsciousness.

 "In the course of but a few years, the book creature became so…insanely jealous…of the Chosen one and those around him…for the fact that the Med-jai, his family, and the princess could touch him and love him in a way she couldn't, that in a blind rage she murdered them all, the Chosen one included, leaving alive only the child she had created for them." Ardeth stopped, taking in deep gulps of air to regain what he lost during his tale. Reaching up, he silently wiped at his forehead with his sleeve, leaning further back into his hard chair.

Evy brushed a wayward curl from her eyes, shifting nervously in her chair at Ardeth's unconcealed weakness. "What happened to the child? And the book?" she asked, still trying to process all the information she had just swallowed. 

"The child was raised to be the new Med-jai king…he being the rightful heir. As for the book… it and its secrets were entrusted to the…child as well." Ardeth responded, turning his attention to his foreign friends.

"And the book, where is it now? Do you even know?" Asim questioned, tapping his fingers on the tables surface, his one eye intense and focused. 

Ardeth turned back towards the Elders. Sighing softly, he leaned forward against the wood, crossing his arms as he closed his eyes. "It was passed down through the Med-jai king's bloodline…generation after generation it was kept safe in a different secret place with each….the book is now and has been since the beginning of my reign…in my possession."

            "WHAT?! Why have you never told us this before?" Sallah exclaimed, shooting forward in his seat, his eyes wide. 

            Ardeth waved his hand slowly, motion him to stay silently. "I was forbidden to speak of it…let alone allow anyone to know of its whereabouts…I am only telling you all this now because the circumstances demand it of—" 

            Ardeth gasped sharply, his eyes squeezing shut tight against a sudden bolt of pain lighting along his spine. 

            "Ardeth!" Taniif gasped, rushing to his friend's side, grabbing his arm to hold him steady as he wavered in his seat. The Elders and the O'Connell's all shot to there feet as well, stopping when Taniif motioned them to stay where they were. 

            "A-ana tayyib…" Ardeth breathed in reply, tightly grasping Taniif's hand as another wave hit, then passed just as quickly. 

            _He's becoming worse every minute, _Taniif thought. _Allah, please help him!_

 Shuddering, Ardeth's breathing began to slow, his strength for the third time giving out. Collapsing forward weakly against the tabletop, he rested his fevered brow against its cool surface. 

"Ardeth?" Taniif whispered, crouching down to look up at his friend's face. The Med-jai chief managed a weak smile of reassurance.

 "Ana tayyib Taniif. Shukran." Bay replied, pushing away from the table and leaning back in his chair.

"So what are we going to do then? Give them what they want?" One of the previously quiet Elders spoke hesitantly, folding his hands on the table's polished surface, glancing around at his fellow Med-jai's serious and worried faces. 

Ardeth swallowed and sternly shook his head. "La," he replied, his voice almost a whisper. 

"But—!" 

Ardeth gently shook his head again, effectively interrupting the Elder's sentence. "I will never give them what they want." 

The Elder sadly sat back in his chair, his eyes downcast.

Rick felt sympathy for the Med-jai; he understood how he felt; he himself had felt the same when he had previously received that answer. Rick lowered his own head, his eyes however still locked upon Ardeth's frail form. Next to him, Evelyn shifted closer, wrapping her thin arms around Rick's, holding tight.

"As I previously told the O'Connell's, I will die before I allow anyone to posses the book," Ardeth said gently, wiping again at the sweat beading across his tattooed forehead. "Then you condemn yourself to death," Ahmad replied, reflexively placing his hand on the hilt of his scimitar. 

The Med-jai Chief sighed again. "I have already accepted the consequences of my decision...I am willing to die if it will keep the book…and the rest of the Med-jai safe." 

"If we can not change your mind, then why was this meeting called?" Hafen asked, placing his elbow on the armrest and his chin in his fingers. 

"For two reasons." Ardeth paused, glancing at the O'Connell's, momentarily catching Rick's gaze before he continued."The first is to discuss the protection of the Book and The Med-jai...and…the second, is to…legalize an heir..." 

The room suddenly went deathly silent.

None of them had been prepared for that task. The choice was the King's of course, but the Elders had to legalize and accept the new king-to-be before it became law. None of them were ready, to do so would mean finally admitting that Ardeth Bay, current Leader of the Med-jai, was indeed going to die; a notion they still found themselves not quite believing.

            Asim swallowed, stroking his beard nervously again, trying to hide his concerned frown. "Whom do you choose?" he asked, his eyes starring straight through Ardeth. 

Bay paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts, and then turned again towards his foreign companions.

            "O'Connell."

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            ~~~~~(_The honey covered brushes swiveled delicately over his skin, sealing over and filling in the bloody hieroglyphs carved upon his body, leaving in the soft bristles' wake a sharp stinging pain. Andrahi held his breath as the last of the glyphs were brushed with the thick yellow sweet, watching the patterns of the dancing shadows against the ceiling of the chamber, as he waited for the gel to harden enough for him to move. _

_His fingers stretched against the cold stone surface of the sacred pedestal, bending slightly to run his nails against the strong marble repeatedly almost in a soothing petting motion. _

_The palace painters replaced their brushes in their pots and stood, gathering the rest of their materials as well. "He is now ready." The Elder spoke, nodding his head respectively to 'Heneb as he approached, his eyes lowered. _

_'Heneb nodded in return. "Thank you. You may retire now," he replied. The two palace painters bowed again before hurrying on their way._

_"Have the priest brought. The ceremony will now begin," 'Heneb spoke sternly to one of the large Med-jai warriors standing guard at the circular chambers entrance. _

_"Aiwa, ya sidi," the guard replied before bowing low in respect, and turning to leave._

_ 'Heneb turned back towards his cousin in the center of the room and sighed, picking up the sacred book of Osiris from its place and carried it over to his beloved Andrahi. "Are you ready, cousin?" 'Heneb asked, placing the book on the pedestal next to Andrahi, looking down into his eyes. _

_The longhaired Egyptian nodded, slowly pulling himself into a sitting position with a clipped wince, then turned to kneel in front of the book. "As ready as I will ever be," he replied, squeezing 'Heneb's hand for reassurance as his cousin's fingers wrapped around his own thin ones._

_Andrahi smiled softly at the worried expression his cousin wore and reached up silently, passing his hand over 'Heneb's face to smooth it out. "I shall be fine, 'Heneb. Do not worry," he whispered softly, his smile widening slightly. _

_'Heneb nodded, a small smile curving his own lips, despite his constant misgivings. "You'd better," he demanded, squeezing Andrahi's shoulder one last time before turning and walked back to his place by the entrance._

_Andrahi swallowed and nodded to the torch tenders. "Begin!" he ordered in a stern voice, lowering his eyes to the book before him. _

_Black dust flecked with gold was thrown into the four blazing torch pots and the fires hissed in reply, sending billows of choking black crackling smoke into the air. Andrahi lowered his head more and in a strong booming voice that could not have naturally come from his not-quite petite form, began to chant out the spell across the cover of the silver book. _

_His thin fingers curved around the handle of the sacred blade at his side, picking it up and raising it to his chest. _

_'Heneb winced in sorrowful anticipation but kept his eyes locked in place in respect, swallowing hard. _

_"Book of Osiris, accept this sacrifice of blood and bind with my soul, for all eternity!" Andrahi demanded, dragging the blade deep into his flesh. Thick red quickly welled to the surface and began to seep down his chest. _

_Placing the blade again next to him, Andrahi pressed his hand flat against the wound, rubbing in a small circular motion. He released a breath through gritted teeth when he pulled his bloodied hand away, each appendage completely drenched in red._

_Carefully, Andrahi placed his hand onto the flat center on the book, watching with wide eyes as the silver began to hiss and melt beneath his fingers and conformed to his hand. "Ana qibil. Ga hina, walad…" A whispered feminine voice rang through the room, startling all of its occupants. A sharp blast of white light rose from the book, surrounding Andrahi's body, hugging tight around his shaking form, his eyes suddenly glowing with the same ferocious deadly light._

_His slight form instantly collapsed on top of the silver mass, his hand still imbedded in the cover. _

_"Andrahi!" 'Heneb yelled, rushing forward towards his younger family member. _

_"Stop!" The same female voice ordered again, yet this time a body, however ghost like, was connected to it, standing in front of the pedestal, hand outstretched. _

_'Heneb slid to a halt, slamming rather roughly into an invisible force, preventing him from nearing Andrahi._

_The tall, transparent apparition turned towards Andrahi's crumpled form, however looking up above it, instead of at it. _

_Above Andrahi's body was a faint, shimmering image of his own soul, kneeling in the same position his body had been in a moment before, confused and dazed. "Ga, walad." The spirit spoke again, reaching up to Andrahi's ghost, who hesitantly took her hand and stood, moving off the stone pedestal to stand next to her. _

_Andrahi was taken aback by the spirit woman's appearance; she had long, thick, black hair and wide coal eyes, painted in the traditional style, with full rose lips and gold skin. _

_She was his exact image! His female twin!_

_"Do not fear me, I have accepted your offer and have come to claim your oath of forever and meld with your soul." She placed both her hands on his face, cupping his thin cheeks with the most tender of touches. "Do you pledge me forever, child?" she asked, locking eyes with him as she leaned forward. _

_"Yes...yes, forever," he whispered, leaning forward into her touch, his eyes glazing over._

_ The woman smiled and closed the rest of the distance between them, pressing her lips firmly against his, releasing her own energy into his soul as her own soul began to devour his. _

_Both spirits suddenly vanished in another harsh blast of white light, this one with such force that all the room's occupants found themselves on the floor. _

_"Andrahi!" "Heneb yelled, shooting to his feet when he noticed the absence of the younger Egyptian on the pedestal. Running as fast as his leg would carry him, 'Heneb rushed to the long stone table and jumped over it when he spotted the crumpled form behind it on the sandy floor._

_"Andrahi!?" he called again, falling to his knees next to his cousin, scooping him up to cradle the thin form in his strong arms._

_"Andrahi!!!!")~~~~~~_

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            The tall Egyptian sighed, watching the sunset calmly, a strong breeze billowing through his brown and red robs, rustling against his face wrap. The sun drifted low in the sky, dancing across the mountains of sand, casting pink and orange shadows of light about them. It was breathtaking to watch. Moreover, he had watched it a million times before, never once tiring of the gentle play of rough lights.

            The large camp behind him was alive with the wind, the men going about their lives and work quickly, silently, each warrior keeping to himself. 

            A fierce looking man dressed from head to toe in blood red ascended the dune the older man was standing upon, holding his face wrapping firmly in place. Silently he approached his master, bowing low in respect as he came to a halt just behind him. "Ya sidi." He spoke in a deep bass, his eyes down cast in respect. 

"Is everything prepared?" the tall Egyptian leader questioned, never once taking his eyes from the horizon.

            "Aiwa ya sidi," the warrior replied, his head still bowed. However, his eyes were up, staring darkly at his master's back. 

            "And the men are all ready?" the Egyptian asked again, clasping his hands behind his back nonchalantly. 

            "Aiwa. They are prepared," the Arab replied, glancing back at the encampment as the dinner fires suddenly exploded to life. 

The Egyptian smiled and nodded, pleased. Slowly he turned towards his subordinate. 

The Arab man suddenly fell to his knees, bowing low on the ground as his master's face cloth fluttered loose, revealing his face. 

Intaf laughed, replacing the cloth. "Good. We shall attack at dawn. Those accursed Med-jai will fall easily, and then we shall move on to the temple," he stated surely, walking in long strides past his still kneeling servant, a wicked smile still twisting his concealed features.

"Aiwa Ya sidi," the Arab warrior replied, slowly returning to his feet. 

Intaf paused, turning back to the other man, his eyes glinting with malice. "Oh, and Sa'neer, have my blades polished and sharpened. They will get much use tomorrow; I wish them to be presentable." 

Sa'neer smirked in reply, chuckling as Intaf walked away.

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            __

_            Me!_

            O'Connell blew out a steady breath, cramming his hands into his pockets as he walked through the thick Med-jai camp. He moved with his head down in heavy thought towards his tent, mulling over the conversation he had witnessed this afternoon.

_            Me? _

            He carelessly threw open the tent flap and sauntered in, heading for his bed, watching the patterns of the rugs beneath him as he passed.  

_Why did he have to say me?_

Rick sighed, running his fingers through his unruly sandy blond hair, laying back on his bedroll. 

_I'm not a leader, let alone a king! I'm not even true Med-jai…so they can't accept it…can they? _

For the hundredth time these questions and many more like it ran through O'Connell's head, worry after worry playing out before his tightly closed eyes. Sighing heavily again, he turned on his side to get some rest.

_It's been a looooooong day…maybe if I just rest…_

"O'Connell!!" Taniif cried, bursting into his and Evelyn's tent, startling the American awake within moments of him falling asleep.

 "Whad?! Whad is id?" Rick slurred, sitting up and sleepily rubbing his eyes. 

"You must come! Now!" Taniif replied, his tanned face flushed and frantic, his almond eyes wide. 

The tattooed man's fear registered suddenly in Rick's mind, jolting his mind rather roughly back to reality.

"Come? Where? What happ—?" _Oh no, Ardeth! Please God NO! _His mind screamed at him. He finally rose to his feet at Taniif's insistent tugging on his sleeve. 

"Something is wrong!" Taniif replied, pulling Rick out of his tent and through the camp at a near run. "Something is terribly wrong!"

"The poison? Is it—?" Rick began, unable to voice the rest of his thought, swallowing hard as a lump began to form in his throat. 

"He's reacting to it," Ardeth's third in command replied, lowering his head in fear and anger. "It's too soon! Allah, it's just too soon!!!"

Oh God… 

_Ardeth!……_

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   TBC!   Hehe I'm so evil! ^,__,^

          Lol, that's all for now. I had originally meant to make it longer but I'm so mean I just HAD to leave it there. Hehe *grins*

   Ok, again I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry this one took SOOOOOOOOOOO freakin' LONG to get done but this story is starting to get away from me. Hopefully, The fact that its 10/11 pages long makes up for that ^_^ lol! Well yeah anyway it's a very odd chapter and not much really happened but I hope it was ok anyway. You have to do some pointless exposition or else you'll never know what's going on right? Anyway, thanks again for reading! Oh and another VERY special shukran to Deana for ALL the GREAT help you gave me for this chapter ^_^ 

  I hope you all enjoyed it anyway. Please come back for more!!

TRANSLATIONS   

****

"Aiwa" = Yes

"Ya sidi" = Sir

"Ana qibil" = I accept

"Ga hina, walad." = Come here, child.

"Ana tayyib" = I'm alright

"La" = no

"Shukran" = Thank you

"Ga walad." = Come, child

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	8. One Soul, Two Problems

"Blood of the Hom-dai" 

                                                                    By May It Be

 ~~ Authors Notes: Ok, this chapter took WAAAAAAAAAY too long to get posted and I'm MAJORLY sorry!!!! -_-;; But like I said this story is starting to get away from me and I am open to any ideas you all might have! ^_^ Any comments at all of course are always welcome! Lol ok sankyou again all of you for reviewing and staying with me throughout this mess I call a story and I hope you like this next installment as well. Ja!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own 'The Mummy', 'The Mummy Returns' or any of the characters belonging to them. (Just the bad guys, 'Heneb, Andrahi, Taniif, Hassan and other misc. characters that you don't recognize.) So please do not sue me I have no money this is just for twisted entertainment purposes only. However, the ideas and plot for this are solely mine. Do not take them please, ask first if you want them and can do better justice to it. Sankyou! 

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Chapter Eight………         "One Soul, Two Problems."

            "Hold him tight! Don't let him hurt himself!" Evelyn barked at the three kneeling Med-jai surrounding the pale thrashing figure on the floor. 

The three men complied silently, each trying to immobilize their leader yet at the same time not harm him further. "Keep him still! Please!" she practically begged, trying unsuccessfully to keep a firm grip on Ardeth's shoulders. "Ardeth! Ardeth please calm down."

            The poisoned Med-jai however, could not hear their pleas. His ears were filled instead with the swift sound of his tainted blood coursing painfully through his frozen veins and his heavy gasping breaths.

            Agony shot up his spine and pressed harshly down on his chest, freezing his pounding heart in his bosom. Burning chills ran their course through his troubled form lighting his blood up with fire, trying desperately to rip painful cries from his raw throat. Ardeth's vision was blurred and marred by phantoms of black flames and white starbursts, a steady ache forming behind his frantically moving eyes.

            He strangled a cry that broke for air at the torments and pains only he could hear and feel, his shaking hands fisting tightly in the blankets about him; back arched painfully up from the ground.

 "Ardeth!?" Evy called, soothingly running her hand over his sweat peppered forehead and down the side of his face, tears starting to prick her eyes. "Ardeth… Hold him still!" she wept, snapping again at the Med-jai as Ardeth once again lurched unnaturally in their grasps. _Oh God, please help him!…_

"Blast it! Where are the healers?!" One of the men called in Arabic, snapping his head towards the tent's entrance as if he could will them to suddenly appear. The slightly younger man next to him shook his head fiercely, his face wrappings falling about his neck as his fingers tightened around Ardeth's ankle. "They will be here as soon as they can Sebil, Hassan is the fastest runner we have! Now please just hold the master still!" He ordered his comrade, returning his own attention to the withering form of their king. His thin brows knitted as he noticed the small, discolored blotches under their fingertips.

            "Mrs. O'Connell?" the young Med-jai questioned, catching her blurry almond eyes and redirected her gaze to the small finger sized bruises. "We are hurting him…" he whispered in a somewhat broken voice, his eyes becoming glazed and distant. 

Evelyn's own shadowed eyes widened at the dark smudges, looking back down to Ardeth's face quickly.

            "Evy!!!" 

            Evelyn's head snapped up at the familiar call, her wide eyes locking on the tent's flaps as they flew open and her husband, brother and Taniif all came charging in. 

Rick fell to his knees across from his wife, carefully placing his hand on his downed friend's unclad shoulder as it withered under his grasp. "What happened? Why did he react?" He asked nervously, looking Ardeth over as another sharp gasp pulled from the Med-jai's tight throat.

            Evy shook her head fervently, her long chocolate curls flying about her face and shoulders as a single tear escaped and slithered down her flushed cheek. 

"I don't know! I—don't—know!!" she replied, swallowing hard, trying to calm herself enough to speak. "We—we brought him in to rest when he suddenly started gasping, like he couldn't breathe! He collapsed and started thrashing about, and—and I was afraid he would hurt himself! So I, we—we tried… Oh Rick its too soon!!" She cried, the floodgates finally bursting open and the tears she tried to hold back began to tumble unheeded.

            She threw her face suddenly in her fragile hands, her soft palms becoming increasingly damp. 

"Jonathan—" Rick started to ask, but was cut off by a raised hand and a swift nod from the Englishman. 

Quietly he knelt next to his baby sister and took her in his warm arms, soothingly rubbing her back as she cried into his shoulder. 

"It's to soon, Jonathan… its just too soon," she mumbled, unconsciously mirroring Taniif's previous thoughts, her small hand fisting in her brother's white shirt as he rocked her. "We can't loose him yet!" She hiccupped, wrapping her free arm about his thin frame to tighten her hold.

            "It'll be alright old mum, you'll see. He's a strong one," Jonathan whispered in reply, starting to gently pet her hair, keeping his own eyes averted from the thrashing Med-jai leader. "He'll pull through…. somehow." He breathed the last word more to himself then her. "He always does… he's.. Ardeth—" Jonathans voice broke on the whisper, placing a gentle kiss to his sisters forehead and closing his eyes.

            "I don't understand; it's too early for him to be reacting this badly to the poison. The healers said he had longer!" O'Connell said, taking up Evy's failed attempt to calm down their hurting companion. 

"I know, my friend." Taniif replied, his voice barely above a whisper as his own coal eyes began to darken and his lashes moisten. _Please, Allah, do not take him from us!  Please!…_

            "Sit him up!" the old graying healer ordered as he and his companion burst into the tent, a dark blood colored elixir recently warmed by the camp's fires nestled protectively in his wrinkling hands. 

"What?" Rick started to ask_. Up down, up down, make up your minds!_

            "He must drink this. Sit him up!" he ordered again, stiffly kneeling next to Taniif. 

The Med-jai and O'Connell, upon being barked at again, set about following the command, gently shifting their leader while still holding him tightly. The apprentice healer scurried to the opposite side of the elder one, placing the large basin of water and fresh rags he had been carrying down on the sand next to him, then leaned in to help sit the struggling Ardeth up. 

            "Come on buddy, hold still," Rick whispered, wrapping his arm around Ardeth's back and grasping his upper arm with his opposite hand, trying desperately to hold him stationary. Ardeth however, arched away from the contact with a strangled half-gasp/half-cry, trying to move away as if the very touch scorched his flesh worse then the most severe fire.

            "Hold him still _please_!" The healer quipped, taking a firm hold of the Med-jai leaders chin. 

"We are trying!" Sebil snapped in Arabic, gritting his teeth with a hiss as Ardeth's flailing foot caught him under the chin. "He may be poisoned but he is not yet dead. He is still as strong as ever!" he replied, pouncing forward and pinning Bay's leg down, wrapping his hands above the knee forcing the whole of his weight into the hold. He was too occupied to notice the wince his words received from the others.

            Carefully, but forcefully, the graying man pried Ardeth's jaw open and placed the jar to his cold lips, forcing the warm liquid into him. 

Ardeth choked at first, gagging and spurting as the unexpected drink worked its way down his parched throat. However, he soon grew accustomed to it—instead, needing it, sucking down the overly sweet elixir almost faster then the healer could pour it. His struggles began to dwindle and die down as he drank more and more of the potion, his weak hand instead trying to find its way up to the glass to pour the drink faster.

"There." The healer sighed contentedly, lowering the jar as the Med-jai polished off the last of the nectar, a satisfied and relieved look creeping into his eyes. "Lay him back down, he will rest soundly now." He ordered, lowering Ardeth's head gently as the others moved to fulfill the command. 

"What set it off?" O'Connell questioned, dabbing at his forehead.  

However brief the struggle, it had been fierce; delirium and adrenaline providing Ardeth with more strength then presumably possible.

            The apprentice healer, once the Med-jai leader was again arranged comfortably in his bed, dipped one of the clean rags he had brought into the cool water and gently began to bath his master's sweat peppered face. His hand froze suddenly and his eyes widened as the cloth traveled over Ardeth's cheek and jaw, his fingers suddenly going numb.

            "T-Ta-Taniif?" the boy stuttered, removing the cloth, starring transfixed at the thing. 

"Yes?" Taniif replied, halting the elder healer's response to Rick's question, shifting his gaze to the shaking boy and what held the child's attention so. With a gasp, his own eyes widened. _By Allah! What new devilry is this?!?_

"Taniif? What is it?" Rick asked, shifting closer to take look_. What the—?! _His fingers around Ardeth's hand tightened reflexively.

            It was not so much the rag that held them all so speechless but the small dark hairs that were lightly flecked about it, and the now hairless side of Ardeth's jaw. Silently, Taniif stretched out his shaking fingers and brushed them gently along his king's jaw, watching with widening eyes as his friend's dark, trimmed goatee simply flaked off like so many grains of sand. 

   "How is this possible?!"

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            ~~~~~( _"Andrahi?" 'Heneb begged, hugging his beloved cousins' limp form tightly, ear to his too still chest; his eyes were closed fiercely against the wicked proof in front of him that assured his fears. "Please Andrahi, awaken!" he pleaded again, his voice practically breaking. _

_            "'H—Heneb_?_" __Gael spoke softly, he and another kneeling sadly across from their grieving comrade and his dead cousin. "'Heneb, he is gone." Gael said, trying unsuccessfully to make eye contact with his friend. He needed to understand, he needed to see the truth or he too would be lost. _

_'Heneb weakly shook his head, his eyes latching onto the almost peaceful look upon Andrahi's face. "I knew— I knew he would not make it. He—He didn't believe me but I knew..." he mumbled, his eyebrows knitting up._

_            "He was too young, too weak. The book overpowered him and devoured his soul and now he is lost!" 'Heneb cried, gazing up sadly at his two kneeling friends, almost insulted that they too were not crying. _

_Idhren shook his head remorsefully, placing his hand on 'Heneb's shaking shoulder. "He knew the consequences of failure, 'Heneb. He knew he would die and his soul would be lost. He did it for you." _

_"No!" 'Heneb cut him off shaking his head in denial. _

_"He did it so _**you**_ would not have to," Idhren continued. "So that _**you**_ would be free!"_

_ "Do you not understand? Now that his binding has failed the task falls to me, I am to suffer the binding now! His death was meaningless!" 'Heneb rebuked, holding tighter to Andrahi's body, a slight breeze cooling his tears._

_            The room about the four suddenly went deathly silent, not a sound outside their own and the crackling of the flames echoed in the room. 'Heneb was so lost in his pain that he did not notice nor care as to the silence or its reason, nor did Gael and Idhren. _

_"Don't you dare say that, 'Heneb! Nothing Andrahi EVER did was meaningless! His death was honorable, and true and done out of love. Isn't that enough?"_

_            "How can you say this to me and not grieve?! How? Did you not care for him and love him as all others who are Med-jai did? Ho—" 'Heneb's torrent of accusations ceased as he looked up at his companions, seeing then for the first time tears unshed and welling in their eyes and his pain reflected in them. _

_However, that was not what gave him pause._

_There was someone behind them. Someone he knew quite well indeed. _

_His white hands were clasped softly behind his back, his thick curtain of hair veiling over his thin shoulders and a large, gentle, comforting smile was upon his loving features; melting away any anger or hatred in 'Heneb's heart. _

_"Why do you cry?" he whispered, moving gracefully around Gael and kneeling in the soft sand before the grieving Med-jai. _

_"Y—you left," 'Heneb breathed in reply, still holding tightly to Andrahi's body, his eyes however transfixed upon the vision before him. The Med-jai and soldiers around the room all went to their knees, bowing low in respect and amazement, muttering prayers and praises to their gods respectively._

_Andrahi laughed, his eyes alight and glittering; the action which usually brought comfort, however, now only succeeded in unnerving, coming from this disembodied being—this spirit. "Nonsense my dear cousin! I am here, am I not?" _

_Gael spoke then, pointing to the body still in the older cousin's grasp. "But, not there!" he said, looking almost in awe up at the shimmering white spirit of his friend._

_The apparition turned to Gael, then to his own body and smiled once more, shaking his head gently. "It is only temporary, my heart still beats. It was simply part of the binding. Please do not grieve...I am well." He let out a small laugh. "Or rather I shall be once I return to my body."_

_With one last gentle smile, Andrahi moved forward, cupping his slender hands on either side of 'Heneb's face and placed a soft tingling kiss upon his brow in respect and brotherhood. "Be at peace," he whispered, his voice almost lost on the non-wind that suddenly blew by._

_'Heneb sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes as a pulsating calm washed over him from head to toe at the gentle pressure upon his forehead, the lines of worry melting away from his face. With an 'almost-smile', he opened his light orbs, noticing rather alarmingly the sudden absence of his cousins' spirit. "Andrahi?" he asked, looking about the room quickly, then down with a gasp as he felt the body in his arms shift._

_The longhaired Med-jai clenched his closed eyes and shifted again. "Heneb?" Andrahi breathed, swallowing hard as he tried to sit up. _

_"A-aywa?" 'Heneb stuttered still in shock, leaning him up carefully. _

_"Help me to the alter. I must finish this before my strength gives way," Andrahi replied, turning his face towards his beloved cousin, his eyebrows knitting up as he opened his eyes. _

_A collective gasp rang through the room as his startling eyes were unveiled.)~~~~~_

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The night had fallen quickly once Ardeth had been settled and returned to sweet sleep. The healers had stayed for a few hours still, tending to his wounds and fever, doing all in their power to preserve his life. However, it was all for naught, and they knew it. Without the accursed antidote they simply could not save him.

 About midnight, the group had diminished and retired at insistence from Taniif, each off to seek much need sleep. Taniif and O'Connell both stayed in their comrade's tent despite the old healers' orders to leave and find peace and rest of their own. While outside, armed guards stood ever ready and watchful, keeping good care of their master's safety.

Ardeth was calm and steady throughout the remainder of the night, never once more waking from his slumber. Rick and Taniif were both soothed and worried by this, for they did not know if it was a good, restful sleep or the exhausted, feeble sleep that creeps upon one when they are near death. 

They did not stray from his side, long into the evening and unto the wee hours of the morn, each taking their turns at catching a few fleeting glimpses of sleep before their worry woke them again. 

The cooking fires were just being lit the next morning when a disturbance startled everyone awake. 

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"Ahi! Ahi!" Hassan yelled as he came bursting into the tent with a vengeance, practically collapsing on the sand, his body hunched forward as he gasped in heavy fleeting breaths, his hands braced on his knees to support his weight. 

Taniif bolted awake at the cries from his younger brother, quickly scrambling to his feet and running to the teen. "Hassan!? Hassan, what is it? What's wrong?" he questioned, placing a supporting hand on Hassan's back, alarmed by the young one's unusually wide eyes.

            "Scouts—Hamunaptra—Army!!!" Hassan cried between gasps, falling to his knees finally, his hands planted in the sand to keep himself from toppling over. 

His brother knelt next to him, rubbing a soothing palm across his back to calm his breathing. "Hassan please, slow down and catch your breath," he replied, growing ever more worried, looking up as O'Connell shifted nervously over to the two, however, staying close enough to Ardeth's still form should the need arise. 

"What is it?" O'Connell asked, locking eyes with the elder brother.

             Taniif shook his head with a Med-jai equivalent of a confused shrug, and then turned back to the younger Med-jai as he started to calm down.

            "The scouts at Hamunaptra! They report spying an army approaching from the east under the glare of the sun! They could not discern what they were, for the light of dawn blinded them until they were nearly upon us. They are battling NOW at the great city! I ran all the way here to tell you and was nearly cut down myself. They need aid, ahi!" The little one informed, leaning back and latching onto his brother's arm, his youthful chest still heaving. 

            Taniif's eyes went wide in worry and surprise. He scrubbed his battle-worn face with his free hand and sighed. "Not now!" he spat, glancing at Ardeth's still and silent form between his fingers before he released his little brother's grip upon his arm and stood.

 "Hassan, take your message to Sadeik and inform all you pass on the way to draw arms and prepare for battle!" Taniif ordered, helping the young one to his feet and turning to the stunned American still seated upon the sandy floor. 

"Ah—aywa, ahi, but there is one more thing you must know," Hassan stuttered, turning from his sibling to stare sadly at his master's weak body.

 "What is it?" O'Connell asked suddenly, shifting nervously, placing his hand upon the pistol holstered below his shoulder, ready to protect his Med-jai friend.

"The men, the army, they are dressed in the same evil garb as those who attacked you in Cairo and poisoned the Master," he informed. 

"What?! Son of a—" O'Connell cursed, hurrying to his feet and pulling his twin pistols free, ready to kick some badguy butt. 

"Shukran, Hassan," said Taniif. "Now please go inform the others. Hurry!" 

"Aywa!" Hassan quipped with a fast bow, then burst from the tent, his warning yells ringing clear as he ran. 

Ardeth's third in command threw the tent flap open and grabbed the nearest surprised guard, barking orders at him. "You, see to it that all injured and sick men from previous attacks are evacuated." He pushed the warrior away, who then stumbled on to fulfill his duty with a curt nod. "You two, find the O'Connell's and bring them back here with three of the best warriors you pass on the way to move the Chief to safety. You!" he yelled pointing to the last one. "Go to the meeting hall and inform the elders of the attack and have them and the healers evacuated as well. Get EVERYONE moving NOW!!" he demanded in Arabic drawing his blade before he turned back to O'Connell. 

"Let's get going." O'Connell said having not understood the other's previous words, and started out the door but was halted by Taniif's hand upon his chest.

"No my friend. I can not ask you and your loved ones to join us in this battle," he said quietly, his head and gaze lowered. 

"What?! You don't seriously expect me to stay behind while you all run off to get yourselves killed? When I decided to join you I signed on for everything, battles and all!" Rick yelled back angered, his grip on his guns tightening.

Taniif nodded. "I understand, my friend, and in normal circumstance I would welcome you among my warriors just as Ardeth does. Nevertheless, these are not normal circumstances. I need _you_ and your family to stay here and protect Ardeth until he can be evacuated with the others. Please O'Connell, there is no other I would rather entrust our king's life to then you and your family," he asked, locking eyes with the light haired American.

Rick opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it with an angered sigh. "I am sooo going to hurt you for this when you get back." He grinned, lightly punching the Med-jai in the chest. 

Taniif chuckled, placing his hand on O'Connell's shoulder with his own small grin. "I'll take that as a yes," he replied before he turned and started off to the battle. 

"Hey! Don't you dare die before I get _my_ chance at ya!" O'Connell called after him, his grin widening as Taniif casually waved his hand over his shoulder, not the least bit worried by the threat, continuing to bark out orders at all he passed.

Shaking his head with a sigh, Rick holstered one of his guns and returned into the tent to wait for Evy and the guards. 

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TBC!  

'aywa' Egyptian Arabic for 'yes'

'shukran' Egyptian Arabic for 'thank you'


End file.
